How to Deal with Jet Lag?
You can reduce the effects of jet lag with simple suggestions. We list what you can do to reduce the effects caused by the time difference.
1. Adjust Light Exposure Before Traveling
Those who want to make the most of their trip should start thinking about their well-being before they set off. Adjusting your natural light exposure based on the direction you’re traveling — more light in the evening and less in the morning if you’re traveling west; more light in the morning and less in the evening if you’re traveling east — can help you adjust more quickly when you arrive.
2. Pack a Few Accessories for Night Flights
We’ve all been there: You want to get away from the noise around you for a great night’s sleep, but you hate that your headphones are stuck between your pillow and the window. Good news: there’s an accessory for that! SleepPhones have a great headband design to help you fall asleep, and they offer options like white noise, guided relaxation, or audiobooks to help you fall asleep quickly. Other accessories worth getting include: earplugs and an eye mask.
3. Get Outside as Soon as Possible
Experts say that no matter where you go, your biggest goal on the first day of your trip should be to get as much sunlight as possible. “Drinking plenty of water and getting plenty of sunlight will help your body figure out what time it is,” she says. It’s also helpful to accept that you won’t feel 100 percent right away: “This might mean setting an alarm to wake you up at a reasonable time in the morning. It doesn’t have to be super early, but it doesn’t have to be 11 a.m. either.”
4. Research Your Room
You should make sure your accommodation sets you up for a successful stay with important features like street noise, comfortable bedding, blackout curtains, and a cool environment. There are easy ways to learn about different features. For example, you can check Yelp or Google reviews. New services like The Edit also offer easy-to-navigate, featured information about hotels in popular destinations.
5. Use Melatonin, But Use It Wisely.
Experts don’t recommend taking melatonin regularly, but they say it can help with jet lag in particular. “Jet lag is when you don’t have enough melatonin in your body when you need it. You don’t need to boost your melatonin when you’re living your normal life. But using melatonin in a different place to change your sleep pattern is both effective and beneficial.”
Experts recommend taking a low dose, one to three milligrams, at least an hour or two before bedtime to give it time to pass through your digestive system and kick in before your target bedtime.
