One of the most irksome parts of any holiday is the dreaded jet lag, but there are certain things you can do to help combat this travel bother and make the most of every minute of your break.
In this guide to combating jet lag, we’ll discuss the following:
With this guide in hand, you need never worry about heavily suffering from jet lag again.
Even though jet lag occurs after travelling, there are still a few things that you can do before you fly in order to reduce the impact.
By ensuring you get as much sleep as possible before heading into the skies, you can help to fight any sleep you might lose that could cause jet lag. Being prepared is half the battle with jet lag, so get your head down!
Staying hydrated has plenty of benefits for the body and one of these is also the fact that it helps to combat jet lag. You should drink plenty of fluids before you leave and then keep this up on the plane and when you land too. Caffeine should also be avoided if possible.
If you’re flying long haul to somewhere such as Australia and have a stopover in the likes of Dubai then why not spend the night there and get some sleep on solid land? You’ll find your body will be more accepting to time adjustments if you go a little easier on it.
Depending if you want to sleep on the flight or not, carefully consider what you eat and drink. If you want to stay awake so you can sleep when you arrive then a cup of caffeine early in your flight is a good idea as well as high-energy but slow release foods. If you want to sleep during the flight, then we’d recommend eating a couple of hours before boarding so that you don’t need to wake up mid-sleep for a bite to eat, disrupting your sleep pattern.
The best way to get in the mindset of your new time zone is to actually change the time on your watch to reflect the new one. Then, forget about your old time and take this time as the real one. It may help your body get used to it before you arrive.
If you do decide to sleep on the flight, noise and the change in altitude can affect your chances of actually getting any rest. With this in mind, consider bringing some earplugs and an eye mask to block out unwanted light and noise.
If you are planning on staying awake, sitting on a plane for hours on end can feel restrictive, so it’s always best to get up and move about during the flight. Walk up and down the aisles every so often to help reduce the chance of jet lag when you finally arrive.
You need to try and keep as relaxed as possible if you’re going to catch up on sleep, so it’s always best to avoid excessive exercise when you land. Your body will be too revved up to sleep and will therefore hinder your jet lag recovery.
If you need to go to sleep as it’s evening in your new destination, then consider having a relaxing evening. Take a warm bath to soothe yourself after the flight, perhaps get a hot drink and curl up. You’ll soon find the drowsiness setting in for a good night’s sleep.
Jet lag is a common part of flying, but it doesn’t need to have a big affect on your holiday. Following a few of the above precautions could really make a big difference to your holiday experience.