How To Beat Jet Lag
What’s the worst part of traveling? That would be jet lag.
Visiting new places is amazing but the utter exhaustion from traveling there is terrible!
From not being able to sleep on the plane, to not being able to sleep at night once you arrive, there is no part of jet lag that is fun.
But there are strategies to mitigate the effects of jet lag, and I’m going to teach you.
This post is all about how to beat jet lag.
What is Jet Lag?
Jet lag “is a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who quickly travels across several time zones” (https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/jet-lag/symptoms-causes/syc-20374027).
In other words, any traveler who changes time zones (whether in a vehicle, on a boat, or on an airplane) is subject to feeling jet lag.
When you change time zones, it affects your sleeping schedule. You feel sleepy when you are supposed to be awake and feel awake when you should be sleeping.
Symptoms of jet lag can include feeling unwell, stomach problems, insomnia, and tiredness.
How Long Does it Take to Get Over Jet Lag?
The general rule of thumb with jet lag recovery is that it takes one day per time zone difference to recover fully.
For example, if I travel from my hometown of Portland, Oregon to Athens, Greece, it will officially take me ten days to recover fully after my arrival in Greece.
This may sound intimidating, especially if your whole trip is ten days, but you will generally feel okay after two days.
You won’t be fully recovered, but you will most likely feel up to exploring and going on adventures or whatever you plan to do during your vacation.
If you don’t do well with jet lag and you only can travel for ten days or less, explore options for traveling north or south from your location. There may be a trip you can take that is still in your home time zone. But keep in mind that if you cross the equator, while the time may not change, the seasons will be opposite.
Is Jet Lag Worse Going West or East?
The general consensus is that jet lag hits harder when you are traveling East. This is probably because it is easier to go “back in time” than it is to travel “forward in time”.
Going back to my Portland to Athens example, it is harder when you travel to Greece and your clock gets set ahead (going “forward in time”) so you have to wait to go to sleep later and you have to wait to eat your meals later.
On the other hand, traveling from Athens to Portland, you get to sleep earlier and you get to eat earlier. That’s why it feels a bit easier traveling West than East.
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Tips To Feel Less Jet-lagged
Before Your Flight
1)Make sure you are well-rested before the flight
The less sleep you have to catch up on when you arrive at your destination the better.
You also tend to be more tired the second day after you don’t sleep well so two days before your flight should be a good night’s rest (especially because you also might be nervous and/or excited for your trip which could keep you from getting a good night sleep).
2)Make sure you are well-hydrated before your flight
To help you feel more comfortable before your flight, make sure you are well-hydrated before you board the flight. This is because the high altitude makes you more thirsty and feel dry.
Just make sure to account for times that you might not be able to use the restroom (like take-off and the time it takes to get to cruising altitude).
3)If you can, book an extra day for adjusting to the time difference and catching up on sleep lost during travel.
If possible, do this both for your arrival at your destination and for your return. Have one day to just hang at your accommodation and plan a minimal amount of activities.
4)If you can’t do this, try booking flights with a long layover somewhere you want to visit too (or somewhere you have already been to so you can spend your time catching up on sleep).
For example, if you plan to visit England and you live on the West Coast, book a long layover in New York City on your way to and from England.
5)If you really are flexible with time, use my trick to change time zones a lot easier. If you have a flexible work schedule and/or work from home, slowly transition to the other time zone before you even go on the airplane.
For example, if you are traveling to Europe which is roughly ten hours ahead, try staying up late and sleeping in so your sleep schedule when you leave is closer to the time at your destination.
6)Book a flight with a long layover/stay overnight halfway to your destination.
For example, the last time I traveled from Portland, Oregon to Athens, Greece, I slowly started staying up later and later and sleeping in later and later so I was much closer to the time difference in Greece (10 hours difference between PST and Athens time).
Then, I had booked an overnight flight from PDX to EWR. When I arrived in Newark, I had booked a daytime hotel to take a long nap and shower before my flight to Athens.
I felt amazing boarding my second flight when I would usually already feel sleep-deprived and gross from not showering. I also was well-rested so I didn’t have to worry about that terrible feeling when you feel absolutely exhausted on a long-haul flight but you can’t manage to fall asleep.
During the Flight
7)Drink lots of water
Like I said before, you are very likely to feel dehydrated due to the altitude? Make sure you have a water bottle with you and fill it up after you clear security before you board your flight.
8)Try to sleep as much as you can
The more sleep you get on your flight(s) the better you will feel when you reach your destination.
9)Make yourself as comfortable as possible so you can sleep
This includes things like using an eyemask and/or ear plugs to block out sounds and lights. Changing into pj’s or other comfy clothes, listening to soothing sounds,
10)Don’t watch thrilling TV shows or movies
While it may be tempting to watch a new exciting movie, watching something more mellow will benefit you when you try to fall asleep later in the flight.
11)Don’t stress out if you can’t fall asleep
There is no use for you tossing and turning trying to fall asleep if you don’t feel tired and then feeling anxious about the fact that you can’t sleep. That will hurt you more than getting no sleep and waiting till you arrive to sleep.
I never was able to sleep on airplanes as a kid and I would get so annoyed when my mom insisted that I turn off the TV to try and sleep because I knew I wouldn’t be able to so I just sat there bored and frustrated.
If you can’t sleep, just roll with the punches and maybe go to bed early when you reach your destination.
12)If you can afford it, upgrade your ticket to a business or first-class seat
If you can only sleep horizontally, it might be worth the money to upgrade your seat. Most long-haul flights have lie-flat seats in business and first class, but check the airline before upgrading your seat.
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*works with any type/length of trip
*simple and organized packing process
*easy to follow directions
After Your Flight
13)Never take a nap during the day when you first arrive
While you may be exhausted after traveling for so long, fight the temptation to take a mid-day nap.
Instead, drink a coffee (and water to keep yourself hydrated) and engage in a mild activity like walking around the area where you are staying.
What you can do, is go to bed earlier than you normally do to make sure you can catch up on sleep without immediately messing up your sleep schedule by sleeping during the day and then end up staying up all night.
14)Use caffeine drinks and sleeping aids when necessary
When you’re supposed to be awake drink some caffeinated drinks and take sleeping pills (or whatever product works for you) for when you are supposed to be sleeping (and to keep yourself asleep all night long).
However, when drinking caffeinated drinks, make sure you drink water with them to rehydrate yourself since caffeine can be dehydrating.
This post was all about jet lag and how you can mitigate the effects.
