How to combat jet lag

 

Jet lag is a reality tied to long distance travel. Many people make the mistake of not planning accordingly and in turn, feel the consequences. Fear not…you can beat the jet lag blues by following a few easy tips and not waste a single minute of your trip!

 

The first steps start before your travel day. Be sure you are in good health, getting lots of sleep and staying hydrated…international travel can be taxing on your body! Start adjusting your sleep schedule by 15 minutes a day for two weeks before your travels. This will help you more easily adjust to the new time zone once you get there.

 

On your travel day, make sure you eat right, drink a lot of water and keep your alcoholic drinks to a minimum, as alcohol dehydrates you. Being undernourished or dehydrated will make you feel worse and increase your jet lag! Right before taking off, set your watch to the arrival time zone. This will help you feel more settled when you land. During your flight, be sure to get up and stretch from time to time and do some in-seat stretching. This will keep your blood pumping and keep you from getting sore.

 

Once you arrive, spend as much time as you can in the sun. The sunlight keeps your mood up and helps trick your mind in to being less tired. This helps you feel more settled when you land. Also try to stay awake until a normal, early bed time. The closer you can get to a normal sleep schedule, the better you'll feel!

 

Just implementing these little changes can do wonders for combating jet lag!