Feeling groggy and sleep-deprived can put a damper on your trip, but it doesn’t have to. Check out these tried and tested tips to help you beat jet lag next time you travel!
If you’ve traveled across the continental USA or abroad, you already know that feeling jet-lagged after your flight is a sure bet. Feeling groggy and sleep-deprived can put a damper on your trip, but it doesn’t have to.
Check out these tried and tested tips to help you beat jet lag next time you travel!
Author: Megan Slade
Before you even embark on your trip, there are steps you can take to lessen the effects of jet lag.
In the days leading up to your trip, you can shift your internal clock by changing and altering your circadian rhythm via your sleep schedule. The circadian rhythm is your body’s natural clock responsible for one’s essential bodily processes.
Altering your body’s clock will help you get onto your destination’s timezone before you leave and avoid excess jet lag fatigue upon arrival.
For example, if you are traveling eastwards and your destination is 4 hours ahead of you. Four days leading up to your trip, try to go to bed and wake up an hour earlier each day until your leave. If you’re traveling westwards, stay awake an hour each day and wake up an hour later. It’s that easy!
If you’re traveling abroad and crossing a bunch of time zones, you might not be able to shift your sleeping pattern so dramatically. That being said, even shifting it a few hours can help you adjust faster on the other end.
If you’re planning on shifting your sleep schedule to match your destination’s timezone. Light exposure can help with this process.
The high-intensity white light that artificial sun lamps* (often used for seasonal affective disorder) can stimulate the brain and trick it into thinking it is in daylight when it’s not.
Using these lamps when you’re staying up later (if you’re traveling west) or getting up earlier (if you’re traveling east) will help with altering your sleeping schedule and your circadian rhythm.
*your artificial light source needs to emit at least a frequency of 10,000 lux at 5600k, the equivalent of ambient daylight.
Being on a plane itself can add to the jet lag symptoms, consider the following aspects to help curb its role in it.
Flying is notorious for being a very dehydrating environment, and to add to it, travelers generally avoid hydrating in an attempt to limit inflight trips to the washroom. This isn’t ideal!
Even in a non-traveling environment, dehydration symptoms include dizziness, drowsiness, and fatigue. The jet lag symptoms you experience while dehydrated will be intensified and make recovery a much slower process.
To avoid overloading your body with unnecessary travel side effects, do your best to stay hydrated. This will give your body a better and faster chance to recover from jet lag.
Both alcohol and caffeine have a dehydrating effect on the body and should be limited when flying long distances. Aside from causing dehydration in travelers, caffeine and alcohol can also cause worse jet lag for other reasons.
Caffeine delays the natural body clock and if consumed in excess and/or at the wrong time, it can disrupt sleep.
If your flight is due to land in the evening, it may be a good idea to pass on the coffee so it doesn’t keep you up hours later than you intend to be sleeping. The longer it takes for you to align yourself with your destination’s time zone, the longer the jet lag will drag on.
Too much alcohol while flying could also cause the feeling of an intensified hangover upon landing. This can be tough on the body to overcome when combined with the symptoms of jet lag. If you can’t resist an in-flight glass of wine, make sure you limit your alcohol intake, hydrate often, and have a full stomach. This will help avoid any unwanted hangovers upon landing.
If you’re on a long-haul flight, it is best to get as much sleep as possible. This is especially true on an overnight red-eye flight. Not only will it help you feel refreshed and ready to start your vacation upon arrival, but it will also help skip jet lag.
If you struggle to sleep on airplanes, the best way to go about it is by investing in a good travel pillow, earplugs (wax is better for noise cancellation), and an eye mask. This promotes uninterrupted sleep by blocking out all artificial light and loud noises.
Taking a low dose of melatonin can help flyers fall asleep and remain sleeping for a large duration of their flight. That being said, it should be avoided on trips shorter than 6 hours, as that is the average time it takes for the supplement to pass through the body.
Eating a carbohydrate-heavy meal (such as pasta) before or during an overnight flight can help travelers fall asleep. When the stomach is full, it can activate the parasympathetic nervous system which can cause sleepiness. Think food coma!
The work to avoid jetlag isn’t over once you land. There are some steps that can be followed upon arrival that will help prevent jet lag.
Eating meals associated with certain times of the day can be helpful in avoiding jet lag.
Breakfast is the most ideal meal, especially after a red-eye flight. Although overnight flights serve a snack before landing, it is still important to eat a full meal once you have arrived.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and in addition to tricking your internal clock, the nutrients can help power your body for the long day ahead.
This is also a good time to enjoy a caffeinated tea or coffee. Not too much though where you risk a caffeine crash later on.
Though it may be tempting to crash the moment you check into your hotel, it is best if you can stay awake until bedtime, even if it’s early.
The reason is that sleeping right away can put you back on or close to your origin’s time zone. This will confuse your body clock for longer.
If you do fall asleep immediately, you will find yourself being wide awake during the middle of the night, which will unfortunately continue for a few days. Napping will also affect the body clock and likely make you feel awake long after you should be sleeping.
It is best to stay awake for as long as you can. Taking a shower can help you feel a bit more energized, and leaving the hotel room and engaging your brain can help distract you from the tiredness. Light exercise is also known to increase energy levels if you’re up for it!
Even if you manage to stay up until an appropriate bedtime after traveling, your strongly wired internal clock might wake you up in the night thinking it’s midday.
The best way to avoid it jumping into action is by taking a sleep aid of some sort. Many people opt for a strong dose of Melatonin as it has little to no side effects, but due to your body’s ability to process it within a relatively short amount of time, you may still find yourself awake in the early hours of the morning.
Alternatively, over-the-counter sleep aids can be taken, but it’s best to not overdo it. If you take too strong of a dose, you may wake up feeling groggy like you would if you were suffering from full-on jet lag.
Jet lag doesn’t have to be an inevitable part of your travel experience. By following a few simple strategies, you can minimize its impact and make the most out of your trip. Before your flight, adjusting your sleep schedule and using artificial light exposure can help your body adapt to the new time zone. During the flight, staying hydrated, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, and getting quality sleep can significantly reduce jet lag symptoms. After landing, eating meals at appropriate times, staying awake until bedtime, and considering sleep aids if needed can aid in readjusting your internal clock.
By incorporating these tips into your travel routine, you can enhance your travel experience and arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and ready to explore. Say goodbye to jet lag and say hello to enjoyable and rejuvenating journeys!
