Fight the jet lag!

Neelakshi Yadav
Apr 22, 2017
2 min read

Artist: Doug Criswold

Anyone who flies through multiple time zones has to deal with the biorhythmic confusion known as ‘jet lag’. Flying from the West to the East, your days have been set several hours forward. But body clocks don’t reset so easily! After crossing countries and oceans, your body wants to eat when you tell it to sleep and sleep when you tell it to go on a trek. Many people even assume that their first day will be rendered useless owing to jet lag, but don’t worry! Follow these simple tips and see where they take you.

When you arrive at your destination, you should:

Establish a new routine and try to get used to it as soon as possible – eat and sleep at the correct times for your new time zone, not when you usually eat and sleep at home.

Avoid napping as soon as you arrive at your destination – even if you're tired after a long flight, try to stay active until the correct time to sleep; this will help your body adjust more quickly

Spend time outdoors – Natural light will help your body adjust to a new routine since Exposure to sunlight helps regulate our circadian rhythms.

Take a hot bath before bedtime - A bath can ease sore muscles from travel and help you relax and wind down. The drop in your body temperature when you get out of a bath may also make you sleepy.

Before you reach your destination, you should:

Eat sensibly - Some frequent fliers swear by jet lag diets -- such as eating a heavy diet for a few days before travel and fasting on flight day. However, no diets have been proven effective for preventing jet lag.
Adapt to your new schedule while in flight – Change the time in your devices and wrist watch according to your destination while you are in the flight. This is mostly psychological as it helps your mind get in the mood of your destination.
Stay hydrated - Drink water before, during, and after your flight to counteract dehydration. Avoid alcohol or caffeine a few hours before you plan to sleep. Alcohol and caffeine can disrupt sleep and may cause dehydration.
Move around – Get up and walk around on the plane once every few hours. Do some exercises while being seated and don’t forget to stretch all your muscles every once in a while.