Tips on Preventing Jet Lag

 

Preventing Jet Lag

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Following up on last week’s Travel Tuesday post, How to Survive a Long Haul Flight, today I want to share a few tips on preventing jet lag.  There’s nothing worse than being tired, groggy, and hangry upon arriving at your destination (a place that I’m sure you’ve been looking forward to visiting for quite some time!).  So without further ado …

Ten Tips on Preventing Jet Lag

  1. Try to book an overnight flight.  Obviously this only applies if you’re flying somewhere far enough away that it would take an overnight flight to get you there, but I always try to book my long haul flights to leave late at night.  I prefer 8pm or later as that gives me time to get to the airport after work with plenty of time to spare!
  2. Get a good night’s sleep the day before your flight.  Along the same lines of giving yourself plenty of time to get to the airport, getting a good night’s sleep the day before helps reduce your stress level leading up to the flight.  Don’t arrive at the airport frazzled and running on 2 hours of sleep.
  3. As soon as you board the plane, set your watch to your destination’s time.  The sooner you can get on your destination’s time schedule, the better.
  4. On that same note, once you’re on board, switch your meals to coincide with the new time zone.  Be sure to still eat every few hours (nobody likes a hangry traveler!), but don’t over indulge (save that for your actual exploring #alllllllthegelato).
  5. Be the weird person on the plane – get up and stretch/do a few yoga moves in the aisle or take a few laps up and down the aisles.
  6. Hydrate.  Hydrate.  Hydrate.  (Water only, no wine or other booze!  I know it’s temping.)
  7. If you land in your final destination in the morning or afternoon, stay up.
  8. Don’t plan any big activities on your first day of vacation.
  9. For your return flight home, always give yourself an extra day at home once you return.  Have to be back at work on a Monday?  Then book your return flight home so that you arrive back on a Saturday.  You’ll need that extra day to adjust back to your home time zone and catch up on sleep.
  10. Power through.  You’re going to be tired no matter what.  If you apply this tips, you’ll definitely minimize the jet lag effects, but there’s no doubt that you’re still going to be tired.  Just power through, you’ll survive!

I hope that helps! If you have any other helpful tips on preventing jet lag, share them in the comments below – I’d love to hear!

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4 Comments

  1. Molly wrote:

    I always laugh when I see someone stretching and walking up and down aisles, but I’m sure it really does help!! Great tips, Ashlee!

    http://www.mollyonthemoveblog.com

    Posted 1.31.17
    • Ashlee wrote:

      Haha I don’t blame you! But it really does help! Or you can go chit chat with the flight attendants just to stand up longer (I’m sure they love that! lol).

      Posted 2.1.17
  2. Janie wrote:

    These are amazing tips to have — especially for those who love to travel! It can be so hard to enjoy a trip when you’re suffering from jet lag and on the move daily. I have a similar guide for myself, someone with a chronic pain illness, travel can sometimes be the worst part of the trip, but the destination makes up for it, in my opinion!

    For #6 I learned to add “no tea” (!) I’m an avid tea drinker and learned that that can cause dehydration when flying as well. *tears*
    #7 is sometimes really hard to do, but then again, the excitement of visiting a new place can definitely help to keep you awake!
    #10 is so true and well said!

    Bookmarking this post!

    Thanks so much for sharing!

    Posted 2.2.17
    • Ashlee wrote:

      Good to know on the tea! I would have never thought about that! Thanks so much for sharing!

      Posted 2.3.17

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