JET LAG Symptoms & How to Beat Jet Lag

My 3 most important tips to beat jet lag when I travel are

Stay hydrated
Adjust your body to the new timezone as fast as you can
A good mindset of traveling

Over the years, I have chanced to travel to more countries and different time zones. I have learned additional travel tips and want to share these 10 tips with you to avoid jet lag better.

What is jetlag?

Jet lag happens when your sleep patterns are disrupted while traveling across time zones.

Usually, our body clocks tell us when to go to sleep at night and when to wake up in the morning, but when you travel crossing time zones, our body clock gets confused about the time. So you may have these jet lag symptoms such as insomnia, mood swings, headaches, and others.

For me, it doesn’t matter if I travel east or west, These tips help me arrive fresh and ready to explore a new place.

Book Arrival Flight During The Day Time. Try to set your arrival flight to arrive during the day time, the earlier the better. You will have plenty of time to rest on the plane and upon arrival, you will be fresh and ready to go. For me, I always get excited to see new places, especially a place that I have never traveled to before.
Packing in Advance - I always make a packing list and I always make sure to pack at least 80% of my stuff a few days in advance before I travel. Having a packing list helps me to ensure I have everything and don’t forget my most important items while traveling. Trust me, on your flight day, you will be busy with last-minute preparations, so If you already prepared, You won’t get stressed. You should be excited to go. Also, make sure all of your electronic devices are fully charged.
Adjust to New Time Zone In Advance - I want to mentally prepare my body clock to easily adjust to the new time zone in advance. I set up my world clock on my phone to display multiple time zones where I will have a flight connection and where I will be heading to. One thing I try to do is set my eating and sleeping schedule according to my new destination time. I understand this will be very difficult for many people but I would highly recommend trying if you are able to. This helps me to take full advantage of my arrival day.
Vitamin C + High Fiber Foods - It’s very important to have a strong immune system before traveling. You will encounter many people at the airport and on the plane. Our bodies cannot produce our own vitamin C. I like to boost my vitamin C intake with fruits or a supplement before I travel to prevent getting cold or sick while traveling. I also eat high fiber foods before travel which is great for the digestive system.
Hydration + Avoid Caffeine & Alcohol - An Airplane has less than 20% humidity so hydration is KEY. I drink a lot of water while flying to keep me hydrated. I always bring an empty bottle of water with me while traveling so I can ask flight attendants to fill up my water bottle anytime. Avoid drinking coffee or tea because caffeine can disturb your sleep time on the plane as well as dehydrate you. Also avoid drinking alcohol, because it will contribute to your jet lag as well as dehydrate you even more.
Still Keep Adjusting The New Timezone While Traveling - It’s very easy to get confused about what time it is when you transiting to another country. Keep looking at your watch to remind you about the new timezone all the time. It doesn’t matter what time it is where you are at that moment, it matters what time is it in your destination. If it’s day time where you are going, adjust your body clock to be awake and keep active, watch a movie, play games, listen to music or read. And if it’s night time, then try to sleep or rest as much as you can.
Wear Comfortable Clothing & Bring an Essential Airplane Kit - Wearing the right clothes and being comfortable on your flight is very important. I always get cold on the plane, so I wear a good long sleeve shirt, long pants and long socks are a must for me.
My essential airplane kit includes a travel pillow, eye mask, earplug or headphone, noise-canceling headphone, and proper skin hydration.
I invested in a great travel pillow that helps me support my neck to sleep better and don’t wake up easily. Earplugs or headphone can help block out noise on the plane. These noise-canceling headphones are my favorite because they have a noise cancellation feature and sound great. I always wear an eye mask to block out the light that may disturb me while sleeping or get interrupted by other passengers that walk along the aisle. Melatonin or other sleep aids can help you sleep better if you need it. Also in my travel kit, I included a toothbrush, face wash, moisturizer and deodorant, these can help me freshen up quickly before I land or in transit before my next flight. You can find more details about these items in the description below.
Avoid Eating Plane Foods - Flying makes your body slow down its’ digestive system. Airplane foods are typically high in sodium and fat content. If you eat too many plane foods, you may feel more tired than usual and it can also make you dehydrated even more due to the high sodium content. I normally bring snacks that are high in fiber and help me full such as granola bars or a small pack of chia seeds because it’s very easy to mix with water and drink anytime. This helps me to prevent overeating on a plane.
Make the most of your first day - If you land during the day time, take advantage of your excitement and begin your journey. You might be tired but I would recommend to go out, explore your hotel, go walking around the city, and find a great first meal. Avoid taking a nap because it will extend the jet lag that we are trying to beat! If you tire your body out during your first day, you will sleep great that night and you will be ready to take on your second day.
Positive Mindset - Having a positive mindset. Focus on where you are and not what time is it back at your home. If you tell yourself - I don’t have jet lag, you won’t feel jet lag as much. You are in a new place with so many amazing things to see, so think positive and have a great time.

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