Tips to Overcome Jet Lag
Are you looking for remedies to overcome jet lag? You are in the right place, so keep reading!
Long-haul flights are fantastic. In the time it takes to watch a few movies, you can travel to the other side of the world.
The downside is that your body may take time to adapt to the time change. The further you travel, the more time zones you cross, and the more severe the effects of jet lag can become.
When planning a trip to a distant destination, it’s better to consider jet lag in advance and take steps to reduce its effects to enjoy your holiday fully.
What is Jet Lag
When we travel across multiple time zones quickly, the body’s internal clock, which tells us when to sleep or stay awake, becomes unbalanced (circadian dysrhythmia). This is what is known as jet lag.
Jet lag is usually worse when we travel from west to east due to the lost daylight hours, as this disorder is mainly related to the light-dark cycle.
Jet lag symptoms may vary, but the most common ones include:
- Sleep disorders, such as not being able to sleep or waking up early.
- Intense fatigue.
- Headache.
- Muscle pains.
- Irritability.
- Digestive problems.
- Lack of concentration.
It typically lingers only a few days but can last up to fourteen.
To avoid mishaps during your trip, continue reading for helpful prevention tips!
How to Prevent Jet Lag
Although barely noticeable on short trips, on long ones where you change time zones significantly, jet lag can be a considerable inconvenience when you change time zones quickly.
Unfortunately, there is no miracle solution. Although some medications can reduce symptoms, they are just sleeping pills. The best way to avoid jet lag is to adjust to the new time zone before arriving. My tips will naturally help your internal clock adapt to the new time zone and overcome the jet lag.
Tips to Overcome Jet Lag
- ✳️ Start the trip well-rested. If you start with a lack of sleep, the jet lag worsens.
- ✳️ Before boarding the plane, change your watch and phone to the destination time and try to adapt to the new schedule.
- ✳️ Try to adjust your eating habits and sleeping times to those of the place you are travelling to.
If your flight arrives at night, it’s best to stay awake and avoid sleeping on the plane.
On the contrary, if your flight arrives in the morning, I suggest sleeping on the plane as much as possible to get there rested.
Example: Imagine you are travelling from Madrid to Melbourne, and your flight arrives at 9 in the morning. Since there is a 10-hour time difference between these cities, you must plan your sleep schedule accordingly. If you attempt to sleep as much as possible on the plane, you’ll arrive feeling rested and ready to tackle the day ahead. You may feel exhausted at night, but you’ll probably sleep through until morning. This can help you adjust to the new time zone more quickly and wake up refreshed and ready to start your day.
If, on the other hand, you decide to have a nap as soon as you arrive to rest from the trip, you will confuse your body’s sleeping times and make adaptation more difficult.
- ✳️ Stay well hydrated. During a flight, it’s essential to drink plenty of water. The humidity levels on planes are very low, which can cause mild dehydration and symptoms of jet lag.
For the same reason, alcoholic beverages should be avoided, as they increase dehydration.
- ✳️ Take a walk on the plane to stretch your legs. This will activate the circulation and reduce tension in your body.
- ✳️ When you reach your destination, spend time outdoors to help adjust your internal clock with natural light.
Contact
I hope you liked this article on jet lag and found it helpful.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me. You can leave a comment below or fill out the contact form, and I’ll gladly assist you 😊
After learning to avoid jet lag, you can return to the Travel Logistics page to continue preparing for your trip.
I also leave you below the link to other articles that are related and may be of interest to you.
