Sleep strategy for BA275/274 LHR-LAS-LHR
Feb 20, 2014, 7:30 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Canary Wharf
Posts: 482
Sleep strategy for BA275/274 LHR-LAS-LHR
Hi all,
Flying out on BA 275 LHR-LAS 25th April in First (16:40 departure, 19:20 arrival)
Back on BA 274 LAS-LHR 3rd May in CW (21:20 departure, 15:00 arrival)
I would kindly like to ask if any of you have a preferred sleep strategy (particularly for the return leg LAS-LHR) so that I do not lose too much time to jetlag?
I'm travelling for leisure and don't particularly have anywhere to be for two days following my return (bank holiday!)
Any advice appreciated.
Flying out on BA 275 LHR-LAS 25th April in First (16:40 departure, 19:20 arrival)
Back on BA 274 LAS-LHR 3rd May in CW (21:20 departure, 15:00 arrival)
I would kindly like to ask if any of you have a preferred sleep strategy (particularly for the return leg LAS-LHR) so that I do not lose too much time to jetlag?
I'm travelling for leisure and don't particularly have anywhere to be for two days following my return (bank holiday!)
Any advice appreciated.
Feb 20, 2014, 7:38 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Basingrad, UK
Programs: BA GfL, TK *G+
Posts: 803
I'm coming back from LAS on 25th, so can I ask you don't wet my bed, or break the seat 
My plan will be quick bite to eat onboard, then get my head down for as long as possible. Cuppa tea before landing into LHR
My plan will be quick bite to eat onboard, then get my head down for as long as possible. Cuppa tea before landing into LHR
Feb 20, 2014, 7:42 am
#3
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
I think LAS is a great place to minimise jetlag. Figure out what time zone you want to be on and spend your last day or two accordingly. Vegas is a 24 hour place, so you can happily stay on any time zone you like.
For some that might mean staying up most of the previous night, and getting their head down soon after boarding, for others it might mean a meal on board, then sleeping all the way through to landing.
Mind you, if I didn't have to be anywhere for 2 days after returning, I wouldn't be worrying too much about conquering jetlag. Unless you get it very badly, you shouldn't have problems after that whatever you do.
For some that might mean staying up most of the previous night, and getting their head down soon after boarding, for others it might mean a meal on board, then sleeping all the way through to landing.
Mind you, if I didn't have to be anywhere for 2 days after returning, I wouldn't be worrying too much about conquering jetlag. Unless you get it very badly, you shouldn't have problems after that whatever you do.
Feb 20, 2014, 7:44 am
#4
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,684
The first point to note is that everyone seems to have their own response to jetlag, so a lot will eventually come back to what works best for you. I personally don't get jet lag, I really can't afford to do so on my schedule, and I guess some of that must be down to training.
Now for outbound I am going to assume you are going to have a quiet night upon arrival, if not this advice would be different. I'd wake up fairly late, bit of a lie in, try not to spend too long in the lounge, plenty of water, no alcohol, and on board have the lighter food options, stuff which is easy to digest. So more on salads and pasta than slabs of meat. I personally drink quite a fair bit of tea. Do not fall asleep on board! If you do feel tired, then try to nap for a short period, but I do stuff that keeps my brain going. Upon arrival, spend 20 minutes walking outdoors, so your body gets the hint about the external conditions. A gym session is an alternative, an outdoor swim would be fantastic. Don't eat too much on arrival, and don't leave it too late out either. Then aim to go to bed around 10pm, hopefully dog tired, ideally don't set alarm clocks, and sleep for as long as your body needs and don't stress if it seems a bit short.
For the inbound, wake up early, do some exercise in the morning - a walk will do the trick. Have a decent lunch, an early but filling supper (striking the balance between getting nicely full but not bloated). Again no alcohol, or keep it to one glass at lunch perhaps. Nibble a few things in the lounge, either skip supper altogether or just ask for a salad and insist they take the tray away quick. Then do whatever gets you to drift off. For me it's undemanding and familiar music, or a fairly intense novel. As soon as I feel the eyelids drooping it's off to sleep, and the sooner the better. Miss breakfast rather than shorten your sleep.
Water is your friend, alcohol is not. The latter may make you feel sleepy but will inhibit REM and encourage hangover style reactions. I never take tablets.
Good luck!
Now for outbound I am going to assume you are going to have a quiet night upon arrival, if not this advice would be different. I'd wake up fairly late, bit of a lie in, try not to spend too long in the lounge, plenty of water, no alcohol, and on board have the lighter food options, stuff which is easy to digest. So more on salads and pasta than slabs of meat. I personally drink quite a fair bit of tea. Do not fall asleep on board! If you do feel tired, then try to nap for a short period, but I do stuff that keeps my brain going. Upon arrival, spend 20 minutes walking outdoors, so your body gets the hint about the external conditions. A gym session is an alternative, an outdoor swim would be fantastic. Don't eat too much on arrival, and don't leave it too late out either. Then aim to go to bed around 10pm, hopefully dog tired, ideally don't set alarm clocks, and sleep for as long as your body needs and don't stress if it seems a bit short.
For the inbound, wake up early, do some exercise in the morning - a walk will do the trick. Have a decent lunch, an early but filling supper (striking the balance between getting nicely full but not bloated). Again no alcohol, or keep it to one glass at lunch perhaps. Nibble a few things in the lounge, either skip supper altogether or just ask for a salad and insist they take the tray away quick. Then do whatever gets you to drift off. For me it's undemanding and familiar music, or a fairly intense novel. As soon as I feel the eyelids drooping it's off to sleep, and the sooner the better. Miss breakfast rather than shorten your sleep.
Water is your friend, alcohol is not. The latter may make you feel sleepy but will inhibit REM and encourage hangover style reactions. I never take tablets.
Good luck!
Last edited by corporate-wage-slave; Feb 20, 2014 at 7:50 am
Feb 20, 2014, 7:46 am
#5
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Canada, USA, Europe
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 31,452
Early dinner at a decent restaurant in town (in Vegas that should not be too hard). Two martinis (no more) before dinner. A bottle of good red wine with your dinner (again, in Vegas this is not too hard). Get a limo booked to take you from the hotel/restaurant to McCarran at about 2000, and be in the lounge for 2030 (maybe push it 15 mins earlier because you might be a bit weebly at this stage). Have a small after dinner brandy in the lounge and then head for the gate. Ignore the boarding Champagne, it'll give you heartburn. Ask the kind cabin crew to bring you your favoured nightcap when they have a moment, then get changed into PJs. Take off, seatbelts off, seat becomes bed, you get your final drink (or two), turn over, sleep. 1400 GMT, wake up, freshen up, have a small breakfast (tea and yogurt), and then feel good about yourself.
Feb 20, 2014, 9:04 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Yorkshire, UK / Pasadena CA
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,311
As said above, jetlag affects everyone differently but this works for me.
Outbound timing is ideal. It's an extended day but you reach your destination in the evening. Simply turn in at your usual time by the clock and sleep as long as you like. Some people recommend staying awake during the flight but if I feel tired and have a nap it doesn't (for me at least) inhibit from sleeping well the first night at the destination.
Inbound timing is worse for jet lag. The most important thing is to stay awake the first day back in UK, get as much natural light as possible on the retina and don't go to bed until evening. I agree with those who recommend a nice dinner before departure, bed down asap after levelling off, avoid excessive alcohol (a couple of glasses of champagne on boarding works for me), sleep through breakfast if you can and have breakfast in CCR. There was a thread on travel pillows recently, as a result of which I bought one filled with duck down. It's superfluous in F but really helpful for sleep in CW where the pillows are very perfunctory.
People tend to confuse jet lag (disorientation of body clock due to displacement of time zone) with fatigue. As well as managing jet lag you can manage tiredness. The obvious strategy, which also helps to make travelling enjoyable, is to relax and not let anything stress you. Bothering over the stuff that gets posted about on FT is counter to your objective.
Outbound timing is ideal. It's an extended day but you reach your destination in the evening. Simply turn in at your usual time by the clock and sleep as long as you like. Some people recommend staying awake during the flight but if I feel tired and have a nap it doesn't (for me at least) inhibit from sleeping well the first night at the destination.
Inbound timing is worse for jet lag. The most important thing is to stay awake the first day back in UK, get as much natural light as possible on the retina and don't go to bed until evening. I agree with those who recommend a nice dinner before departure, bed down asap after levelling off, avoid excessive alcohol (a couple of glasses of champagne on boarding works for me), sleep through breakfast if you can and have breakfast in CCR. There was a thread on travel pillows recently, as a result of which I bought one filled with duck down. It's superfluous in F but really helpful for sleep in CW where the pillows are very perfunctory.
People tend to confuse jet lag (disorientation of body clock due to displacement of time zone) with fatigue. As well as managing jet lag you can manage tiredness. The obvious strategy, which also helps to make travelling enjoyable, is to relax and not let anything stress you. Bothering over the stuff that gets posted about on FT is counter to your objective.
Feb 20, 2014, 9:15 am
#9
Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 10,123
The OP is travelling back in CW so he will have to wear his own PJ's or keep the ones given in F on the outbound. He also won't have access to the CCR.
Some good advice and personally, but generally speaking, no alcohol for me on overnight returns.
Sorry, not trying to be pedantic, honestly, just clarifying a few points!
Some good advice and personally, but generally speaking, no alcohol for me on overnight returns.
Sorry, not trying to be pedantic, honestly, just clarifying a few points!
Feb 20, 2014, 9:28 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2009
Programs: Mucci, BA, Hilton.
Posts: 1,158
Tips for flying to Vegas?
Turn up at the lounge 5 hours early. Proceed to drink a bottle of Gin.
Pass out on the plane.
Wake up 9.5 hours later.
Quick drink and a shower in the hotel.
Gamble, drink, shows, drink, gamble, eat, drink, repeat.
Maybe a round of golf if you wake up early one day. Rio Secco is decent.
Pass out on the flight home.
Wake up on the fourth with great memories and no money.
Maybe that's just how I do Vegas though.
Turn up at the lounge 5 hours early. Proceed to drink a bottle of Gin.
Pass out on the plane.
Wake up 9.5 hours later.
Quick drink and a shower in the hotel.
Gamble, drink, shows, drink, gamble, eat, drink, repeat.
Maybe a round of golf if you wake up early one day. Rio Secco is decent.
Pass out on the flight home.
Wake up on the fourth with great memories and no money.
Maybe that's just how I do Vegas though.
Feb 20, 2014, 10:10 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Canary Wharf
Posts: 482
Thank you for the wonderful replies so far ^
Making me even more excited for this trip.
olybeast, I'll be enjoying the first experience on the way out, however on the way back I'll be in CW which is an old friend. Not much excitement there anymore, but I will be appreciative of the bed to sleep on after a long, exhausting week of holidaying in Vegas
Making me even more excited for this trip.
olybeast, I'll be enjoying the first experience on the way out, however on the way back I'll be in CW which is an old friend. Not much excitement there anymore, but I will be appreciative of the bed to sleep on after a long, exhausting week of holidaying in Vegas
Feb 20, 2014, 10:17 am
#14
Join Date: Feb 2012
Programs: BA LifetimeGold GGL/CCR
Posts: 1,140
Sleep as much as possible on both outbound and inbound flights, you will need all your energy in Vegas. Don't go too early to the airport in Vegas, the BA third party lounge sucks. Have a very nice vacation, Vegas is top!
Feb 20, 2014, 10:47 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2011
Programs: BA soon to be Silver
Posts: 302
Sleep strategy for BA275/274 LHR-LAS-LHR
I am not radically different from MickV 
Enjoy the flight over, having a brief nap if your body tells you to do so. Get to Vegas early evening, check-in to hotel, shower, get on it! Keep going as long as you can - I usually make it to 12.00 local time the next day. Go to bed. You are now essentially on UK-time. Get up at 21.00 and enjoy Vegas until early afternoon the next day. Repeat for as long as you are there.
Your flight back means staying up for a bit longer on your last day - 24 hours or so - nightcap if you can face it, sleep like proverbial baby all the way back to UK. I'm usually back at work next day and am fine. With 2 days to recover, even if you have the mother of all jet lag, you will be well recovered by day 3.
Enjoy!
Enjoy the flight over, having a brief nap if your body tells you to do so. Get to Vegas early evening, check-in to hotel, shower, get on it! Keep going as long as you can - I usually make it to 12.00 local time the next day. Go to bed. You are now essentially on UK-time. Get up at 21.00 and enjoy Vegas until early afternoon the next day. Repeat for as long as you are there.
Your flight back means staying up for a bit longer on your last day - 24 hours or so - nightcap if you can face it, sleep like proverbial baby all the way back to UK. I'm usually back at work next day and am fine. With 2 days to recover, even if you have the mother of all jet lag, you will be well recovered by day 3.
Enjoy!
