Hello Everyone! I’m super super jetlagged and back from my latest adventure to London and Amsterdam. It was a very short trip, but I have new inspirations and ideas for this blog and hopefully some content for my sadly neglected YouTube channel coming soon. Today’s post is going to look at some of the tips and tricks I’ve been trying to put into practice to defeat the evil Jet Lag! As a rule of thumb, it typically takes your body 1 day to recover from each time zone you are traveling through.
Stay Hydrated and Active
Let’s assume you are traveling by plane and not by train, bus or ship. Plane travel is one of the hardest on your body. Not only are you sitting for long periods of time, but you are also experiencing one of the driest environments on Earth! One of the most important things you can do to help your body is to keep it hydrated.
Now I can say don’t drink alcohol or coffee on the plane, but I’d be eating my words. Ensure that you drink water whenever you can, but that doesn’t mean you have to restrict yourself to water only. You can help prepare your body a few days before and after, by ensuring you are drinking more water than normal going into your trip. Have eye drops handy for your eyes and lotion for your skin.
When you are on the plane, try to stand up or at least move around every two to three hours or so. I always pick the window seat and yes my seatmates may hate me, but you need to try to get the circulation in your legs and arms moving to help prevent sore and stiff muscles. Likewise when you arrive at your destination even going for a quick walk can help your body know what time of day it is by giving it some sunlight.
To Sleep Or Not to Sleep?
Everything depends on your body and your personality. If you are taking a red eye flight, for example, (which means you are leaving at night and arriving the next morning), are you planning to go straight to your hotel and rest or hit the ground running and start sightseeing? Do you need a full nights sleep to function? Are you a person who can run solely on multiple cups of delicious caffeinated beverages?
You should try to at least get your body ready for travel by resting as much as you can the day before your flight. Once you are on the plane, if you are arriving at your destination at night, try to stay awake during the flight to acclimate to your new timezone. If you are arriving in the morning, sleep during your flight if you can.
I don’t sleep well myself and try to focus on just getting my body to relax and to clear my mind. I found myself usually crashing all at once. Yesterday, I awoke at 5 am Amsterdam time to pack, get to the airport and travel on an 11 hour flight. I left at 9:45 in the morning only to arrive home at 12:30 pm in the afternoon. I tried to rest briefly and stay awake as much as possible. By the time I got home and had a snack, I forced myself to stay awake until 7 at night and slept 12 hours.
Eat Light Meals
When you are traveling, you body may not know it’s hungry. You will have to be the best judges of your moods and how you feel. Try to eat light foods and not a big heavy meal. You will find your body digests it better and will allow you to have more energy.
Hot Baths or Showers Relax Your Muscles
My body personally prefers a nice hot shower to relax it a little and make me feel more human again after being on a plane or to wake me up. You may find this works for you and may help wake you up. Some of my friends prefer a long bath and just soak for a while to de-stress as they listen to music. Do what works for you.
Wrapping Up
You body is an amazing piece of machinery and it can do a lot of things. Giving it time and a jump start will go a long way in the battle with jet lag. I hope these few tips help you as I go through them myself. Until next time, happy travels.