Don’t “Lag” Behind When Traveling!
We all need more energy when we are traveling, but when we’re trying to beat the dreaded condition they call jet lag, it can make any vacation or business trip very difficult to adjust to. So, if you are someone who doesn’t adjust to new time zones that well (like me), are there any things we can do to prepare ourselves better, as well as adjust more effectively during and after the flight?
Don’t Be So Strict With Your Schedule
If you’re going on a long-haul flight, you definitely need to do your best to feel refreshed when you land. If you have a very strict schedule in place, especially with business meetings and the like, you need to do your utmost to relax whilst mid-air. This also includes relaxing in the days leading up to your flight! If you have a very strict structure, especially when it comes to your sleeping and eating schedules, this is going to be harder to fix when you are in a different time zone. Try to be a little more lax and realize traveling equates to needing flexibility.
Get A Good Night’s Sleep Before Flying
This may sound completely obvious, but sometimes we get so excited or pent-up about our flight or trip ahead, that we don’t get any sleep at all. And while it’s possible to shift your sleep schedule when flying, we still need to ensure that we are rested before we head out. A lot of people make the mistake of trying to tire themselves out so they sleep on the plane, but this is not a good plan of action. I did this when I worked at night and then flew home the next morning to visit family, it was brutal! It is far better for you to ensure that you are rested, in mind and body, before embarking on any long journey. It may sound like common sense, but it’s a piece of advice that we don’t normally follow.
Avoid Stimulants
In fact, any sort of medication, like sleeping pills, as well as caffeine, need to be avoided like the plague. Your best option would be to hydrate yourself. Being on a plane dehydrates you very quickly, and while there are certain planes, such as the A350s and A380s, that have high tech humidification systems, which helps retain moisture in the air, you may not have the funds necessary to get on these types of planes. In which case, your best bet is to drink plenty of water, use some nasal saline if needed, and avoid alcohol.
Mentally Prepare Yourself
You can do this by setting your watch to the time of the destination, so you can get yourself ready in a psychological sense, but make sure you don’t do this until you get on the plane! Mentally preparing yourself is not just about getting yourself time zone ready, it’s about the right attitudes to ensure that you are awake. This doesn’t just mean having a good night’s sleep and avoiding stimulants, there are little ways to prime your brain, such as exercise, but also supplements like Vitamin D and a great multivitamin.
Jet lag can put a damper on anybody’s vacation time, so if you are prone to feeling like a zombie for the first few days on your vacation, try a few of these, and you should notice a difference.
These tips are so interesting. I’ve never considered them while flying! I gotta listen to that beats thing every day – traveling or not haha. I need more of that in my life (aside from my daily coffee intake haha)
Great tips! Traveling can be pretty exhausting but always fun.
XO
Candace
http://www.thebeautybeau.com
Great tips! I always try to land at night when i can so i can get a good night of sleep. otherwise, i stay up until around 8-10 pm and I’ve only had jetlag once!
I can never sleep before a trip haha- I guess I’m too excited!
Love your tips! I can never sleep well the night before a flight – I’m not sure if it’s because I’m worried I’ll forget something, or oversleep and miss my flight! Lol!!
Great tips, jet lag is the worst!
Briana
https://beyoutifulbrunette.com/
these are super great tips! I always try and get a good night sleep before a flight it always makes travel easier.
I need to stop drinking so much coffee (and champagne) when I travel, it’s too dehydrating and my skin makes me pay for it!
These are some really great tips. I’m taking notes for my next trip. I always tend to feel tired the first few days.
Xx, Nailil
https://thirtyminusone.com
I totally agree with getting plenty of rest before a flight!!
I’M ALWAYS TOO EXCITED TO SLEEP BEFORE A FLIGHT LOL
These are great tips! I try to get as much sleep on the plane and avoid caffeine beforehand.
Great tips, thanks for sharing! I’ll have to remember these when we travel the next time.
these are so unbelievably helpful! Hoping on a flight tonight and made sure to follow all of the night before steps. Thanks again!
This is huge! I get so tired when I travel if I don’t chug water. I skip the Starbucks (it’s so hard!) and refuse to take sleeping pills, because I end up feeling awful afterward if i don’t! I wish it was a little easier to get around but even just a quick hour-long flight drains me!
Jet lag is never fun, but these are great tips to help with that!
xo, L | ChangeWithUsBlog.com
I love this list! I’ll be doing some travel in the upcoming year and I always want to jump right into the fun parts of travel and ALWAYS over-exert myself. I’ll keep these in mind!
I love these tips. Don’t be strict on your schedule is something i tried to do some months ago and it really helps!
I needed that! I am going away in 36 hours and will make sure to follow those tips 🙂 Thank you!
xx, Theresa
awesome tips!! im such a stressed out traveller so I definitely need to learn to relax!
i love to get up first thing in the am for my travel and get right settled into my day! love this post
Xo Mindy
amixofmin.com