The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about traveling to a country far away is the beautiful views you’ll get to see or the amazing culture you may get to experience. All this excitement makes people overlook a common problem awaiting them which is “How to overcome Jet lag”.
Jet lag is frequently linked to international flights, but it can occur on any flight that crosses a few time zones. As a result, you can face frequent sleep disturbances which throw your body’s internal clock out of sync with the day night cycle. So today we’ll discuss how to get over jet lag and the best way to overcome jet lag fast so you can enjoy your trips to the fullest.
How to Overcome Jet Lag Fast | Expert Tips & Suggestions
What Is Jet Lag?
To understand what is jet lag and why it occurs, you must first know about the body’s circadian rhythm; these are physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle.
Jet lag occurs when you travel across multiple time zones at once, disrupting your body’s circadian rhythm. This results in difficulty sleeping at night and waking up in the morning, tiredness and exhaustion, and poor sleep quality.
The symptoms can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Jet lag is worse as you travel from west to east and when crossing a large number of time zones.
Can naps help jet lag?
Taking a nap can help you with daytime sleepiness caused by jet lag. But it isn’t the one in all solution for you in fact, if you nap for over 30 minutes or longer you may worsen your jet lag by disrupting your sleep schedule even more. So while you can take a short nap to help with tiredness be careful to keep an alarm or have someone wake you up so you don’t sleep for too long.
What’s the Best Way To Reduce Jet Lag?
Jet lag is a very common occurrence and there are a number of ways you can try to adjust to a new time zone more quickly and with fewer symptoms.
Despite having a well-crafted plan, jet lag can still affect travelers differently. Rapid changes to time zones can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle, leading to a range of symptoms that can affect your trip.
However, taking proactive steps to fix your circadian rhythm can help minimize the effects of jet lag. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution, using effective strategies can increase your chances of getting used to the new time zone and ensure a more enjoyable travel experience.
1. Adapting to your new timezone
Upon arriving at your destination make sure to change the time on all your devices and watch as soon as possible. The first way to adapt to a new timezone is to forget your old one. Start by adjusting your meal times and bedtimes according to the new timezone so you can start getting used to it.
2. Sleep on the plane
You can also make sure that you arrive at your destination rested and prepared to enjoy your travel by getting plenty of sleep before your flight and practicing good sleeping habits during your flight, like wearing an eye mask and using earplugs.
If you’ve got an overnight flight make sure to keep a sleep mask on you. As blocking out the light is the key to getting a good sleep on the plane, because when your brain senses darkness your body produces melatonin, a chemical that triggers you to sleep.
3. Light Exposure
Natural light has the biggest impact on our body’s circadian rhythm. Light from the sun can be interpreted by our brain as a critical sign to regulate our internal clock.
Exposure to natural light at your destination might make the process of adjusting to a new time zone easier. Nevertheless, it’s crucial to choose light exposure properly. It would be best to hold off your exposure to natural light until the next day if you’ve traveled over a long distance and arrived at your destination at an odd hour.
It’s also important to keep in mind that exposure to artificial light, such as that from electronics, might mess with your circadian cycle, making jet lag symptoms worse. It’s important to restrict your exposure to artificial light an hour before your set period of sleeping.
4. Make adjustments beforehand
Many travelers prefer preventing jet lag rather than dealing with it at their destination and If you’ve planned your trip beforehand you can prevent or reduce the severance of your symptoms easily.
Before your trip, try to adjust your sleep schedule by waking up earlier or staying up later, depending on the time zone of your destination. This can help your body adapt to the new schedule and make it easier to adjust when you arrive.
When you arrive at your destination, give yourself plenty of time to adjust to the new time zone. This means taking it easy for the first few days and allowing your body to adjust to the new schedule. By doing this, you’ll be able to enjoy your trip without feeling tired.
5. Avoid caffeine and alcohol before your flight
Limiting your intake of caffeine and alcohol before and during your journey is a good approach to preventing jet lag. These substances can disrupt your natural sleep cycle and make it harder to adjust to a new time zone. To stay hydrated on your journey, use water and other non-alcoholic drinks instead. Additionally, it’s important to move around the cabin as often as you can, which can enhance blood flow.
6. Be calm and don’t worry too much
Now that you know the problems jet lag may cause you might feel a bit stressed out or worried about it ruining your precious vacation. But that’s the one thing you shouldn’t do! Being overly worried or stressed out can further the chances of your jet lag so it’s best to stay calm and simply take some precautions and be prepared for jet lag as that will be more than enough to ensure you have a good time..
Conclusion
Jet lag is a common problem people face when traveling in multiple time zones. While there is no certain way to completely avoid jet lag, we have discussed a lot of tips and tricks you can use to lessen its effects and severity.
In the end, the best way to overcome jet lag will depend on your personal requirements, as well as the specifics of your travel plan. However, by taking precautions and making the time to prepare for jet lag, you can help guarantee that your trip is as pleasurable and stress-free as possible.