There are some hilarious answers to cure jet lag, mostly humorous because they take literally all the joy out of travel itself. Fasting for 24 hours? Abstaining from all drinks except water? If that’s for you, more power to you. It’s not for me, and as a frequent traveler, I have to operate in the more opaque areas of beating jet lag. Here are my best, most practical and somewhat humorous tips…
Late West, Early East…
If you’re going West you want to try to stay up a little later to ease your body clock to local time. Going east, get up earlier, sleep earlier. I make a habit of having a few drinks the night before I travel, in hopes that I will be “extra tired” the day or night of my flight. It’s not scientific, but with airplanes being less than ideal places to sleep, every little bit of “tired” helps.
Hydrate Over and Over. Especially If You Enjoy Airport Drinking, Like Me…
Ok, so whether you misbehaved the night before your flight or not, you need to start hydrating hours before you actually travel. Coconut water is one of the most replenishing ways to hydrate. That bit is scientifically proven. Coconut water or regular water, just keep drinking water throughout the day and avoid caffeine. When it comes to the good stuff in the airport, on the plane or both; make sure to pour equal parts water to wine, beer, champagne, gin, scotch, baileys, vodka, whatever. If you have a glass of champagne, pair it with a glass of water.
Walk, Run, Hike, Bike, Just Get Fresh Air…
Oxygen and pressure levels are drastically different on an airplane than they are on the ground. Though newer planes will help the drastic bit slightly, it’s not the same. The best thing you can do to acclimate to local time and shake off the ill effects of flying is to get outside, get some light to moderate exercise for as long as possible. Not only will it keep you from sleeping, your body and muscles will begin to recover.
Nap On Arrival, No More Than An Hour And Then Push It…
For business travelers, flying during the day is seen as wasted time that could be spent working. For those with more flexibility, especially when going east, like a flight from New York to London, flying during the day and staying awake, only to arrive at night is the most natural progression for your body. For the rest of us that end up on night flights, get as much sleep as possible on the plane, take a quick nap, no more than 30 minutes to an hour when you land, and then push it for the rest of the day, trying to stay up until a natural sleep time in local time.
Eat On Local Time, Avoid Plane Food…
Eating on local time is massive, because your metabolism plays a huge factor in your sleep habits. As to plane food, no, I don’t often heed this advice either, but when I do it helps. Eating at a pressurized altitude plays havoc on your insides and also, in most cases, is not a local eating time. The one exception? Breakfast. When you’re on an overnight flight, you generally land early in the morning. Have that light snack on the plane or grab one as soon as you land. If you land mid morning, consider fasting until lunch.
