Eating well and drinking lots of fluid during the flight helps prevent dehydration. Caffeine users should move their intake to correspond with the new time zone. If you're flying when it would be night-time at your destination, try to spend as much time as possible asleep. If flying during what would be daylight at your destination, attempt to remain awake. As an adult ages, the amount of sleep in a 24-hour period may be the same, but the distribution of sleep often changes.
Some older people find it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep.
Non-restful sleep can lead to daytime sleepiness, one of the leading causes of accidents. Avoid alcohol, large amounts of food, sedatives and hypnotics for three hours before bedtime. Get 30 to 40 minutes of mild exercise each morning or just prior to sundown. Use your bed only for sleeping, not for other activities such as reading or watching television. If you cannot fall asleep after half an hour, leave your bed and go somewhere else for quiet activities such as reading or listening to music.