Tips on how to fight jet lag

Posted on 09/20/2022

Since 6 o'clock in the morning, the steps follow one another: finalize the suitcase, get ready, go to the airport, check-in, luggage, security, arrive at the gate, a delay, wait... a drink, a coffee, a croissant and... we're boarding the plane! Here we are, hand luggage in the compartment, we sit down, go through a magazine or a security pamphlet, put the belt on, take off, we are gone!

On board, the flight can seem endless. We try to distract ourselves by eating, watching a movie, talking...another drink... But finally, here comes the arrival. After the first overexcitement, the feverishness of discovering new spaces, new smells, maybe new languages, the sales pitch that awaits you, the business deal that you have to discuss, the plans, or maybe those dreams of visiting a museum there is this moment so much dreaded: The fatigue after the flight....and even worse... The JET LAG!

Yes, that good old jet lag can undermine the first day or even the first 2-3 days of your visit to a new country or your network events. Learning how to reduce its effects is essential for any good traveler who wants to enjoy and appreciate with lucidity the events and places he or she intends to visit. Well, at least, if you don't want to fall asleep as soon as you are invited to sit in a museum or a restaurant! Not to mention meetings and presentations...

Trying to sleep on the plane

This seems like a no-brainer. But sleeping on the plane is the ideal solution to arrive fresh and ready to land. Of course, such a task is not always easy. Whether it's turbulence, noise, sitting or other discomforts that interfere with sleeping on the plane, still try to get some sleep by closing your eyes instead of watching a movie or playing games. You can always help yourself with a little melatonin or other sleep aid. Otherwise, earplugs, good nightgowns, a light-blocking eye mask, leaning backward, putting a pillow on your lower back, or a neck pillow can all help you get some sleep on your flight

Avoid Caffeine and alcohol

Yes...Even alcohol. If you truly want to be starting fresh arriving at your destination, it is recommended that you do not drink alcohol even at the airport before boarding! Although it may seem to make you sleepy and improve your sleep, alcohol can also disrupt it and act as a long-term depressant on your system. Obviously, coffee is your enemy if you want to rest on the plane. But its stimulating effect is also accompanied by a drop in energy that can accentuate fatigue after the flight. So it is better to drink water because dehydration weighs heavily on jet lag. All the more reason not to drink alcohol and coffee, both of which are known to promote dehydration.

Start adapting before the trip

A few days before departure, you can start to adapt to the time zone of you destination. Of course, this doesn't mean you have to change your entire schedule. But it is beneficial to perhaps go to bed a little later or earlier than usual, as well as to move your meal times. Finally, something I personally like to do is go to bed 4-6 hours earlier the night before the trip and wake up at the crack of dawn. This allows me to sleep better on the plane!

Get in the rhythm of your new time zone

In the same idea, it is advisable to adapt as quickly as possible to the time code Thus, the idea is to forget about your regular schedule, that of your home, and live in the rhythm of where you plan to stay. Therefore, setting your watch, alarms, etc. to the new time zone can help you get ready for the new rhythm. Let's say you want to sleep according to your departure time, try not to succumb to it and go to bed according to your destination time. Well... as far as I'm concerned, as soon as I arrive in Rome for example, I can't help but adapt to the rhythm of espresso and aperitivo!