A new study conducted by luxury cruise travel agent Panache Cruises has revealed that cruises can help you sleep better while on holiday and beat the effects of jet lag.
In consultation with sleep consultants, the team at Panache Cruises have looked at the effects of sea air and bright, natural light on sleep patterns and quality of sleep, finding that being on a cruise can offer a number of health benefits.
These include improved blood oxygen levels, a boost to your Vitamin D, and improved breathing, all of which can lead to a better quality of sleep at night.
Sleep experts recommend exposure to ionised air, which you will enjoy 24/7 while at sea. This salty air can increase the electrical functionality of the brain by up to 47%, which also helps to boost your mood.
Staying on a seafront hotel on land offers some similar benefits during the day, but at night the air will blow from land out to sea, so the ionised air doesn’t reach land.
Whereas at sea, cruise passengers are exposed to ionised air throughout the day and night. The exposure to the sun also helps to adjust and correct your circadian rhythm, so spending time on a deck of a cruise ship can help to adjust to new time zones and fall into a good, regular sleep pattern each night.
When travelling on a cruise ship, you will naturally get a lot of bright light exposure during the day, helping your circadian rhythm… When travelling long distances by boat or ship, you are unlikely to cross more than one timezone per day, naturally lessening the effect of jet lag as the time on board will shift gradually through the journey. In contrast, when flying you will experience the full-time change in a short space of time.
Dr. Lindsay Browning, Sleep Expert at Trouble Sleeping
James Cole, the founder of Panache Cruises, is no stranger to long-haul travel and recommends getting as much sea air as possible in the first few days of your cruise, so that you can avoid jet lag spoiling your holiday.
The research suggests that breathing in as much of the ionised sea air during the first few nights will help holidaymakers beat jet lag quicker than land-based holidays.
Cruises with a day or two at sea at the start of the holiday will also give travellers a chance to get some exercise in a gym, relax in a spa, and eat what they need when they need it. The time we have on holiday is precious, so if travelling long-haul, choosing a holiday that helps counteract jet lag will allow you to make the most of the time you have
James Cole, Founder of Panache Cruises
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