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13 ก.ย. เวลา 07:38 • ธุรกิจ

How To Fight Jet Lag

Jet lag is just one of those things that are so hard to avoid, period. Some timezones are more challenging to adjust to than others depending on your usual sleep habits. For example, me going to the west coast, as someone who has an internal alarm clock of 7:30 am, struggles TERRIBLY.
Yet going overseas, I find it much easier. Over the years I’ve found ways to prevent jet lag to not only help stay well-rested but to ensure you don’t come down with a cold. Which is my signature move!
When you travel across multiple time zones, there’s a disruption in your circadian rhythm. This is what causes those god awful symptoms of jet lag. After many trips going east or west, and coming back, I have found that there are a few things you can do to prevent jet lag or at least minimize it.
Personally, when I’ve traveled west to like Hawaii or California, I find myself struggling more. And usually two or three hours time difference for me, is hardest. I prefer being totally knocked off my sleep schedule. I just find it makes it easier to get on a new time zone.
If I’m traveling east to Europe, I find it so much easier to get on the local time. I’m not sure why that may be, but that’s been my personal experience. All these tips still apply, but some trips are just harder than others.
If you’ve got any sort of upcoming air travel to a new timezone, read on for my favorite tips for staying rested and healthy to minimize jet lag!
How To Fight Jet Lag
1. Get On Their Time Zone Beforehand
This is definitely easier said than done. But it’s as simple as, are you flying backward or forwards and adjust a bit accordingly. Depending on how many time zones you cross, you may be able to tweak your sleep schedule a bit prior to your travels.
If you can start to go to bed a little earlier or later depending on which direction you will be traveling in, this can help make things easier once you land. I find this to be a bit more challenging if you have an internal alarm clock but it can be helpful if not.
2. Sleep On The Plane
If you can sleep on a plane, DO IT. I know some people say you should stay awake if your destination is awake, but for me I just need sleep. Take that catnap and if the flight is an overnight one, definitely make sure you have a system in place to get you asleep fast. Whether it’s melatonin, sleeping medicine or your favorite eye mask and sleepy music, fly prepared.
3. Exercise
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, it’s important to get your heart rate up and maybe break a little sweat. Exercising will help wake you up, and will also likely help you sleep a little better that night too. If you can’t get in real exercise, just being active, like walking around your destination instead of cabbing it, will help tremendously. I always force myself to get moving the second I land if it’s daytime. It helps wake you up and you just overall feel better.
4. Drink Up!
Staying hydrated is key for overall health. Steer clear of that mimosa on the plane to help you sleep because your body will most definitely not thank you later. Alcohol is only going to make things worse once you land so I always encourage avoiding this at all costs.
Instead, opt for water to keep hydrated. You may think more coffee and caffeine will help, but be careful! Keep the caffeine to a minimum unless you’re adding in an extra glass of water. Caffeine dehydrates you and overdoing it in hopes that it will wake you up, will just make you feel worse. Dehydration makes you feel miserable, as in, ever been hungover? Exactly.
5. Get On Local Time
Did you land at breakfast time? Have a bagel. Did you land at 3pm? Have a snack and try to hold off until dinner. Eating habits are a big part of our routine and one of the best ways to stay on track is to eat when they do, sleep when they do. Mimic the local time with your routine as best as possible. If you also typically work out in the morning or before bed, do that too. Whatever you can do to mimic your usual schedule in another timezone, get to it.
6. Take That Nap
I like to take a good Jet Lag Nap as I call them. I try to schedule mine in the mid-afternoon. Basically, until I really can’t keep my eyes open anymore which tends to be right around 3 or 4 pm for me if I’m heading to Europe.
But before you snooze, make sure you set your alarm! You don’t want to sleep through dinner and wake up at 8 pm all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Instead, set your alarm for no more than 2 hours from when you lay your head down to make sure you get up without too much sleep.
Once you get up from your nap, GET UP. As in, get the hell out of that hotel room and go move around. I know it feels like your body is a ton of bricks and you just can’t fathom even standing up, but trust me. If you can pry yourself out of that bed, take a quick body shower, or splash some water on your face, by the time you leave the hotel room, you’ll feel back to normal. Laying in bed is only going to make it that much harder to sleep that night so get out and get the blood flowing.
This is the usual routine that works best for me anytime I land early in Europe. I head to the hotel and drop my stuff (usually rooms aren’t ready this early so I’ll quickly put on some fresh clothes) and head out the door. I will walk around the city and explore until I can’t keep my eyes open.
Then once the hotel is ready I take a quick shower and a good hard nap with an alarm set. I then drag myself out of bed even though I feel like a ton of bricks. Head to dinner and stay awake as long as possible. I am usually then 100% on local time in Europe by the following day. Never fails me.
7. Eat Well
Just like drinking lots of water, putting good things in your body is key to staying healthy and feeling well. It’s super easy to feel gross after a day of traveling and eating airplane and airport food. So try to choose wisely and be sure to eat your fruits and veggies. If you don’t think you’ll have a ton of access to those things, pack your vitamins, probiotics, and maybe healthy protein bars to keep your body feeling its best.
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