Have you ever been too tired to go to your meetings when you arrive at your destination? Or have you been too tired to sightsee on the first day of your getaway? If so, you may have felt like you have wasted some of your precious holiday time. The likelihood is you have been suffering from jet lag. This is the effect of crossing one or several time zones quickly, usually by plane. In this post we look at ways to combat jet lag.
Jet lag happens because our body temperature rhythm doesn’t adjust to a new time zone as quickly as we would like it to. Whenever you travel East, you are forced to sleep when you are not sleepy. Whenever you travel West, you experience drowsiness and tiredness earlier than everyone else.
To get the most out of your trip, you will need to have adequate sleep to ensure an increased (or at least reasonable) level of energy. So, if you have a long-haul trip planned this post is for you. Here are a few ways you can set your sleep clock up for your journey well in advance. We hope this information helps ensure you have enough energy to hit the ground running once you arrive at your destination.
Hydration Is Key
If you are dehydrated, it can make jet lag worse. That’s because dehydration can contribute to fatigue, headaches, and anxiety – all three of which can make you feel terrible which means you may be unable to enjoy the first day or so of your holiday because of jet lag. Therefore, one simple way to combat jetlag is to stay hydrated before and throughout your journey. By staying hydrated, you can help your body recover from the stresses of travel and minimize the effects of jet lag.
So next time you’re travelling, make sure to pack a water bottle, and take sips throughout your journey to keep yourself hydrated. Also, avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can further dehydrate you. When you arrive at your new destination don’t stop drinking throughout the day, it will help rehydrate your body. This will make adjusting to the new time zone much easier for you. It may not be a cure-all, but it’s a simple and effective way to help combat jet lag.
Set Your Sleep Schedule In Advance
One of the best ways to combat jet lag is to set your sleep schedule in advance. If you’re travelling to a different time zone, try to adjust your sleep schedule a few days before your trip. This will help your body get used to the new time zone and reduce the effects of jet lag.
For example, if you’re travelling from New York to London, you would start by going to bed an hour earlier each night. Or, you can try to reset your body clock by sleeping according to the time zone you’ll be in. So, if you’re travelling from New York to London, you would start sleeping at 10 pm London time a few nights before your trip.
You should also avoid anything that makes it harder to fall asleep i.e. caffeine and alcohol. And if you can, try to get some sunlight exposure during the day, as this can also help combat jet lag.
Shock Your Sleep System
Another simple there is a simple solution to combat jet lag is the “shock method”. It basically involves resetting your body’s natural sleep cycle by suddenly changing the time you go to bed.
When you arrive at your destination, immediately adapt your sleeping schedule to the local time zone. For instance, if you arrive at 3 pm and you’re feeling tired and drowsy, don’t sleep. Wait, try to keep yourself occupied and go to sleep at the time you normally would but in your new destination. This will put more pressure on your body temperature rhythm to adapt to the local time. If you try to adjust gradually it will take longer and make your holiday time less enjoyable.
Using these 3 simple methods should minimise the jet lag effects you experience. Therefore allowing you to get the the most out of your holiday.
