Jetlag can be a real drag on your relaxing vacation! Who wants to go a whole week with their internal body clock in the wrong time zone! It usually takes 3-4 days to overcome jet lag naturally, and that could put a big damper on your vacation plans! Even if you are only changing time zones by a few hours, this can have a big effect!
Some symptoms of jetlag include:
- stomach upset
- deep fatigue
- fuzzy-headedness
- absentmindedness
- slow-wittedness
- poor concentration
- weakness
- etc.
Let’s talk about how you may be able to prepare for jet lag ahead of time, that way your recovery period is not so long! There are medical ways to help prepare your body for jet lag, including medications and other approaches, but for this article we are just going to talk about some simple things you can do, to make your next vacation more enjoyable.
How to prepare for Jetlag
Head to bed an hour or two earlier (or later) for 2-3 days before you leave for your trip. This will start adjusting your internal clock. Make sure you know how many hours of sleep per night your body is used to, and adjust to that. Example: If you usually go to sleep at 12am and wake up at 8am, try going to sleep at 10pm and waking up at 6am, or if you’re traveling the other way, go to bed at 1am and wake up at 9am.
As soon as you board the plane change your clock to the time zone you are traveling to. This way you can mentally start to prepare for what time it will be when you arrive to your destination. It’s always so weird to look at your watch and see that it’s 4pm, but once you get off the plane 5 mins later it’s actually 6pm.
Drink a lot of water before, during and after your flight. Drink at least 2 glasses of water before boarding the plane, and 1 liter of water every hour you are in the air. It may be uncomfortable to drink that much water, but your body will thank you when you arrive.
Avoid drinking alcohol because that will defeat the purpose of drinking water to stay hydrated.
Take a nap when you arrive only if you really need to. And try to limit it to 30mins so you don’t disturb your normal evening sleeping.
Hopefully this will help you to have a happier and more energized vacation! Remember, change your internal clock and drink lots of water! No one wants to waste half of their vacation trying to catch up on sleep!
