Now that travel is back on the menu (hurrah) we have that pesky thing called jet lag to consider once again, and Jet lag is one of the most frustrating aspects of travel. Fear not! Learn how to avoid jet lag right now…
Jet lag is a common problem for travellers, as the body’s natural clock is disrupted by crossing several time zones. In this article, we’ll explore different ways to avoid jet lag and make your trips less stressful and when you’re taking a holiday or business trip the last thing you need is to feel tired or run down. But, with these seven tips to beat jet lag, you will have the best tools possible to help you stay alert and ready for your entire trip.
Carry on as usual
You can usually avoid jet lag to some extents, by carrying on with your regular routine. Adjust your watch so it’s set to the time at home and go about everything you do there, like eating, sleeping, exercising etc.
When you’re traveling for short periods of time, jet lag is usually avoidable by maintaining your at-home routine. This may mean resetting your watch and sticking to what you normally do at home: eating, sleeping and exercising.
You won’t even notice the time change when you do this, and your body will readjust without any problems on the way back
Sleep
When you are travelling around the world, it may be hard to maintain your normal sleep pattern. Try to keep your bedtime about 6 hours before the ‘day’ would have ended at home, and try to get some sleep before waking up in a new time-zone.
If you follow these tips, your body should be prepared for the change of light and time zones. You will find it easier to adjust.
Once you arrive at your destination, even if you can’t fall asleep right away, try to get into bed and close your eyes until you do. Eventually your body will pick up the cue and you’ll get all the sleep you need.
Hydrate
Dehydration is one of the most common side effects of jet lag, and can really make that awful jet lag feeling a whole lot worse than it needs to be. To keep hydrated make sure to drink plenty of water and juices on the journey.
Depending on how much you drink, alcohol can have a dehydrating effect on your body. For this reason, it is important to consume plenty of water, and try to avoid alcohol, whilst travelling, this is especially important if you are flying.
Jump right in
When you are heading into zones where the time will change significantly, you want to set your watch when you get there and start following the local hours. Eat when you are supposed to eat at your destination and , sleep when it is dark, etc.
By changing the routine that you are used to directly into the new hours, you can help to offset jet lag before it even starts. Follow your new daylight and darkness hours to adjust your circadian rhythms.
When you arrive
One of the best ways to avoid jet lag is to do some form of exercise when you arrive at your destination. This can be as simple as a walk or a few stretches, some yoga, or a swim in your hotel. Do a few jumping jacks to get your heart pumping or start touring the town.
When your body gets exercise, it will relish the extra energy and help you adapt to changing light conditions.
If you just can’t sleep though…
When all else fails, you can try a sleeping pill to re-teach your body when to sleep. This a last resort and not usually recommended, but when you need to be on your best form, especially if on a business trip, or you have to switch time zones frequently, a sleeping pill can help to give you some rest in order to be alert during the day.
Natural cues
And if the sleeping pill doesn’t appeal to you, you can try aromatherapy. In fact we recommend this before you take that pill. The power of aromatherapy is awesome. Take a small travel sleep spray with you. Also try meditating, at least your mind will be refreshed and relaxed. Also find a good travel kit which includes oils that you can smell for energy as well as soothing oils for relaxation, like lavender.
With all of these tips, jet lag will no longer follow you on your next trip.
How do you beat jet lag?
