Jet lag, we all get it, know it, and hate it. It is that terrible thing which makes us fall asleep on tours and stay-up well into the wee hours of the night when back home. Thankfully, there are a few tired and true ways to combat jet lag, and most are pretty easy to do.
If you are planning on taking to flight for a far away vacation, these are some of the methods that I have found work best to combat jet lag and the way to your destination and when coming home.
Time It
When we go far we are either moving forward in time or back. The best way to begin fighting jet lag is to know when you will arrive. A great way to get a head start on your travels is to know when you will arrive in your destination and plan accordingly. That means, if you are getting into London at 8:00 am, do not binge watch all those fantastic movies the whole flight over. Sleep. Likewise, if you are getting home at 11:00 pm, it is best to avoid snoozing at all costs so you will be able to hit the hay upon arrival. Need some help falling asleep or staying awake? That brings me to our next point...
Come Prepared
If you tent to have a hard time falling asleep on planes or know that keeping those peepers open will be difficult, bring things along to make life easier. ZzzQuil now has new fancy smancy tablet forms of their sleep aid that can be taken on things like planes! Those who have a hard time sleeping on planes would be wise to purchase this ahead of time and take when boarding the plane.
Likewise, if you know you will want to sleep, bring things that will keep your brain active the whole flight through. For some this would be a riveting book. Others could be coerced into staying awake by marathoning that one show that everyone is currently obsessed with. Whichever it is, be sure to bring it along and have it ready when on flight entertainment is just not cutting it.
Acceptance
You will be changing time zones, do not fight it. It always baffles me why people keep their watches set to a time that is not correct or are continually calculating the time back home. Unless you are having to conference call with business partners not on the trip, there is really no need to calculate that it is 4 AM in another part of the world.
Instead, change that timepiece for your destination's time when you board the plane. It is much easier for our brains to accept the time change when we do not constantly have one foot in one zone and one in another. Funny, but bodies tend to naturally tune themselves in for staying awake in the day and sleeping at night. Keeping time change simple will just help our bodies figure it out on their own.
Get Comfortable
I am breaching to the choir on this one, but it is needed. Unless you are traveling in first class, the pillows and "blankets" they give you are the worst. Seriously. They may take up extra space in your carry on, but a comfy pillow and nice blanket or big jacket will be a life saver on a plane. Round neck pillows also reduce the risk of waking up and realizing you have been sleeping on a stranger's shoulder for the past hour. Avoid the embarrassment and discomfort and invest in some good devices made specifically for travel comfort.
Hydrate
I am sure that there is a super scientific reason that hydration helps combat jet lag, but all I know is that it works. Our bodies naturally get dehydrated on planes and during travel. When we are dehydrated we feel sluggish, tired, hungry, and irritable... All the things we hate in travel companions. Keep your friends and enjoy a healthy sleep pattern by drinking as many bottles of water as you can get your hands on past the security check point.
