10 ways to beat the jet lag this summer

The groggy and exhausted feeling – which we often experience when travelling between different time zones – most commonly referred to as ‘jet lag’, can be one the biggest downsides to travelling.

Airplane

It can take a few days to overcome the feelings of being lethargic and exhausted, which are particularly frustrating when you’re wanting to make the most of your time away.

However, there are lots of tips for beating jet lag that could certainly be worth a try if you’re off somewhere exotic this summer…

1 Plan your flight times strategically

When booking flights, it could be beneficial to plan them so that you reach your destination in the morning or afternoon to prevent any jet lag.

This will help you to stay awake during the day, meaning that when night time approaches, you should be tired enough to ensure you get a great night’s sleep and set you up well for feeling refreshed during your time away.

2 Prepare for the new time zone

Jet lag occurs due to the body’s inability to rapidly adjust to a new time zone. Scheduling your sleeping pattern ready for when you go away is a great way of preparing your body for entering a new time zone.

When flying east, it’s beneficial to go to sleep an hour or two earlier than you usually would do, whereas if you’re travelling west it’s best to stay up a little later than your usual routine allows.

The key to adjusting your sleeping pattern is to do it gradually over a few days before going away for maximum impact in helping your body cope with the changing time zone.

3 Bag yourself a great night’s sleep the night before

Avoid a late night of running around packing last-minute holiday items the night before you go away and make sure you get a good night’s sleep.

This will help set you up well for the following day of travelling and to keep you wide awake for when you reach your location until you go to the bed that evening.

4 Don’t sit for too long

The danger when flying is that you can be sitting down for very long periods of time, therefore it’s important that you get up for a few walks around during the flight in order to keep the blood circulating around the body, which will instantly make you feel better.

5 Keep hydrated

Dehydration is just one of the common symptoms resulting from jet lag, more of which you can read about on the NHS Choices website.

Making sure you keep well hydrated during the flight is important. Although it can be tempting as a desperate plea to stay awake, it’s important to avoid drinking caffeine or drinks that are high in sugar and alcohol. These drinks will only limit your chances of sleeping and ultimately worsen your symptoms.

6 Alter your watch

Once onboard the plane, you could set your watch to the time of your destination so you become more psychologically familiar to the new time zone, as suggested by SkyScanner’s tips for beating jet lag. Probably best not to mess with your watch until you’re onboard the flight so as not to run the risk of you being late for the plane!

7 Lavender oil

Lavender essential oil has often been considered to help induce sleep and enhance its quality. According to health.com, a small-scale study back in 2005, conducted by psychologists at Wesleyan University, demonstrated that lavender could help to promote sleep and was actually a very mile sedative. After experiencing a good night’s sleep, it can help you to wake up and feel rejuvenated and refreshed.

If you struggle with insomnia resulting from jet lag, it could be worth putting a few drops on your pillow to help you fall asleep more quickly and soundly

8 Soak up the sun

Spending time in the sunshine, or just generally being outside if you aren’t in a sunny location, will help your body adjust to its new surroundings and reset its natural body clock.

As we can often experience the effects of jet lag the day after travelling (more so when you have been travelling from west to east), spending time outside will help to keep you awake and ensure that once you hit the pillow you get a great night’s sleep.

9 Do some exercise

Once you’ve reached your accommodation and unpacked, try and do some form of exercise. Even if it’s a brief stroll exploring your new surroundings or a few lengths in the pool, this will help to boost endorphins and keep the blood circulating round your body after sitting down for so long on the plane.

The exercise will also promote tiredness, which should help when it comes to bedtime so you feel more energised the following day.

10 Avoid napping and going to bed too early

To help overcome feeling overtired and sleep deprived, it’s best to avoid napping once you have reached your destination, no matter how tempting a quick 40 winks may be!

It’s also useful to try and stay awake for as long as possible as this means that when you eventually climb into bed, you should be able to sleep more easily and your body will acclimatise to the new time zone more quickly.

These tips were brought to you by sleepypeople.com

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