How to Deal with Jet lag Fast - Bev & Shams Adventures

The effects of jet lag can really set you back and delay your trip. But it can also make you feel tired, drained and exhausted. Does this sound familiar? If you’ve ever struggled with jet lag, you’re not the only one.

It’s one of the biggest problems of long-distance travel. Figuring out how to overcome jet lag is crucial when you have limited time in a destination, every minute counts.

I seem to suffer the effects of jet lag more than Shams does. I seem to get headaches and just feeling tired and exhausted. I tend to sleep a lot once I have landed in the destination.

But there is light at the end of the tunnel and jet lag no longer needs to spoil your trip.

With the right approach, you can be back out on the road, quicker.

We are going to share practical, simple and effective strategies to help you adjust quickly. You’ll have a clear plan, so you can reset your body clock, so you can start to enjoy your trip from day one.

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What is Jet Lag and why does it happen?

You may have heard of and had the symptoms of Jet Lag, but what is it and why does it happen?

Jet lag is when you cross over a number of time zones, which causes your internal body clock to be out of sync with the new time zone on arrival.

The common symptoms of jet lag are fatigue, insomnia or disturbed sleep, difficulty concentrating, mood swings and even digestive issues.

Not everyone suffers with the same symptoms and you may encounter one or multiple symptoms of jet lag.

We both seem to suffer from fatigue although I seem to suffer more and for a longer period of time compared to Shams, who is normally ready to go within 24 hours.

There are number of factors to consider why you might suffer from the symptoms worst and for longer periods, compared to others. This includes your age, number of time zones crossed, sleep quality on the plane, etc.

So, how do you overcome jet lag quickly without it impacting your time and experience?

Taking to the air, with our flight from New York City to Las Vegas

Pre-flight strategies to reduce jet lag

There are some pre-flight preparations and strategies, which will help you overcome the symptoms or recover quicker from jet lag.

Adjust your sleep schedule in advance

You could try and adjust your bedtime to an hour earlier or later each night a few days before you travel.

By adjusting your sleep pattern gradually before you travel, this will help you to adapt to the new time zone, when you do arrive in your destination.

If you are travelling where the time zone is ahead of you, you’ll want to go to bed an hour earlier each night. But if you’re travelling to a destination where the time zone is behind your time, then you should go to bed an hour later each night.

Choosing the right flight time

When booking flights, consider opting for flights that land in the destination in the evening. This will make it easier to sleep and adjust to the time zone quicker.

We’ll often opt for our arrival in the evening, for us it means we can get a good nights sleep and be ready and rearing to go on our adventures.

However, this does also depend on our trip duration and if the flight option is affordable. As landing in the evening, will mean that you have one less day of exploring.

So, choose this option wisely, especially if you only have a limited few days in that destination.

Stay hydrated and eat smart before and during the flight

You should drink plenty of water, as travelling can dehydrate you and leave you feeling more tired and restless.

Water is far better for you than soft drinks and alcohol that is served on the plane. If you are tempted by the alcohol and soft drinks, then make up for what you have drank with plenty of water.

The same applies to staying fuelled before and during the flight.

Try to avoid heavy, salty and sugary foods, that will make you uncomfortable during the flight.

Pack snacks such as nuts and bananas that will provide you with energy to keep you going.

Drinking a King Coconut to keep me hydrated in Sri Lanka

In flight tips for minimising jet lag

So, we have covered some great ideas on what you can do to combat jet lag prior to departure, but there are some simple things you can do during the flight to alleviate the effects too.

Sleep on the plane

Those economy seats on a plane are not the most comfortable, let alone trying to sleep on them. But even if you rest and can get a short nap in while on a long flight, it will make all the difference.

And there are ways you can make the journey as comfortable as possible and enhance your chances of getting some sleep.

A travel pillow can really help to keep your head and neck comfortable while sleeping.

For many years, we didn’t use a travel pillow and the number of times, I would be woken up by my head nodding or rolling off. But this has stopped all because of the travel pillow. I am now able to rest my head on the pillow, without being woken up.

An eye mask and noise cancelling headphones will help block out light and distractions.

An hour before you sleep, shut off any screens, whether that’s the entertainment screens or your phone, kindle, games console etc. This will help you to relax and get you ready to go into sleep mode.

Whether you’re able to sleep or not, getting up and moving around every couple of hours, will help to prevent stiffness and fatigue.

I often feel really stiff if I don’t get up and move around regularly, so I will set times during the flight to stand and move around freely every 2-3 hours. Moving really does help.

Set your body clock during the flight

During your pre-flight strategies, we suggested altering the time you go to bed a few days before your flight.

We’d also recommend altering your watch to the local time, that way your body will start to get use to the time in the new location. And it will help you to eat your meals and sleep according to the new time.

This way, you’ll be able to adjust quicker and easier, when you cross a number of time zones.

Pro tip: Avoid alcohol and caffeine as this can disrupt sleep quality. Switch to water to keep you hydrated.

Dealing with jet lag on connecting flights or layovers

Utilise any possible layovers or connecting flights, as this will allow you to stretch your legs, which will prevent stiffness.

If you have a long layover of 8+ hours, consider booking a night in a hotel close to the airport, so you can get some rest before the connection.

You could utilise your layover to visit an additional destination, if time permits.

If you have between 5-8 hours layover, you could purchase airport lounge access, so you can relax, rest and get refreshed before your connection.

Post arrival hacks to recover from jet lag

Now that you have arrived, hopefully you’re not suffering from the symptoms of jet lag with these tips and strategies, but to stay refreshed and ready to go, then consider these few additional hacks to help you beat jet lag.

Get outside for some fresh air and natural light

Light exposure is one of the most effective ways to kick start your body and adjust to the new time zone.

On arrival, go for a short walk, to draw in natural light and fresh air, especially after the cabin pressure and unnatural lighting.

You’ll want to prepare your body to sleep in the evening, to do this, avoid TV’s, phones and any devices that will stimulate your body and keep you awake.

Avoid overcompensating with naps

While short strategic naps will be a great benefit to you if you’re feeling exhausted. But long naps, will make it harder to adjust to the local time zone.

If you do need to nap, set an alarm for 20-30 minutes and when the alarm goes off, get up and do something for a couple of hours, before having another nap if it is required.

Sometimes a short nap is just enough to get you going again.

Although naps are great for combating fatigue, if you can, stay awake until bedtime, to adjust quicker.

I’ll normally take a short nap, if I’m feeling tired and exhausted, which I find really helps me to recover from jet lag. I’ll often plan a couple of naps during the day, if we arrive early in the morning.

Engage in light activities to keep you busy and your mind active, but don’t overdo it on your first day, as this will prolong the effects of jet lag.

Take regular exercise or light movements

Taking a short walk or a workout in the gym will help you stretch, boost circulation and increase your energy levels.

If you’re staying in a hotel that has a pool or gym, utilise the facilities. Or go for a walk along the beach, or do a little sightseeing.

We’ll often go for a nap, before planning a light sightseeing tour, or swim in the pool. We find this really helps us and gets us ready for the next few days of our itinerary.

How to deal with Jet lag quickly

Jet lag no longer needs to derail your adventure, all it takes is a little preparation and the right strategies to get your internal body clock ticking according to the local time.

We would recommend trialling the different strategies and seeing which works best for you. Let’s face it, we are all different and we all have different ways in which jet lag affects us.

What we find helps us to recover from jet lag, is by drinking plenty of water to stay hydrated, taking short naps on arrival, getting a bit of fresh air and exercise, before going to bed early.

These techniques, help us get back to travelling faster and quicker.

But to make this work for you, create a plan, listen to your body and just be patient while your body clock adjusts.

What’s your best jet lag recovery tip? Share your experiences in the comments, we’d love to hear what works for you!

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