Alpha Flight Guru Travel Blog
09.25.2013

The Rag on Jet Lag

Posted By Kellie0 Comments

Just like diet advice, everyone seems to have the “right” opinion for the “best” thing a traveler can do to avoid jet lag. While there may be no magical cure any single right answer to this question, there are ways to be proactive in the battle of changing time zones. Many of which might all just depend on you… different things work for different people. But these options were our favorite for the most-proven solutions.

Give H20 a Go!
We know this is pretty obvious, but still essential! It’s important to know that the humidity in an airplane is really low. You’re losing water through your skin just while you sit there.(*side note* if you sit in business or first class, not only will you get more opportunities for drink service, but also more space to get up and move around—like to the bathroom)… So drink up! We know this means more trips to the toilet, but that’s also a good thing! Hydration along with better circulation will help you to feel better when you land at your destination.

Get Loose!
And we’re not talking about getting crazy off the doll-sized bottles of alcohol… Stay away from those…. HYDRATION is key, remember?! We’re talking about looseness of the clothing-kind. You can be casual and still look good in transit to your destination. Really, just stay away from things like skinny jeans, tight shoes, and unforgiving fabrics. Think cotton, slip-on shoes, etc. Better circulation and being comfortable will help you to be more relaxed and possibly catch some Zzz’s on the plane. *Which brings us back to the previous side note: if you sit in business or first class you’ll have more room to stretch out, and possibly even lie flat! How could you not feel rested and fresh with options like that!?

Fly by Night!
Take this literally! Depending on the difference in time zones or how long your flight is, taking a night flight can sometimes be a good option. If you have the space to stretch out and get some decent sleep while traveling, take it! Traveling is already a tiring affair, so if you can sleep while on your journey don’t miss out on the opportunity.
Expose Yourself!
Don’t take this literally! You won’t be going anywhere but jail if you do… What we do mean is exposure to light and dark at the appropriate times will help your body and your internal clock to become adjusted to any time zone. You can even begin doing this days before your trip to help “trick” your body to adjust to the time zone of where ever you are going. Sleeping masks or dark sunglasses can help you to avoid the sun when necessary. Going outside or day lamps can get you more sunlight when needed. Gradually adjusting your sleep/wake cycle days before your trip will aide in the whole jet lag mess altogether because you will already be adjusted to the time difference before you even depart for your destination.

Yes, There’s an APP for That

Are you surprised? People think of Everything, don’t they?! Check out the JetlagRooster App for your smartphone to get a personalized plan to get you prepared for your trip and take all the necessary steps to reduce jet lag as much as possible. And better yet? It’s Free! No excuses there.

With these few steps in mind, it is possible to be proactive in the battle against jet lag. Whether you want to be productive or just enjoy the surroundings of your destination, jet lag is a time-killer for many travelers. You just paid a lot of money for your flight/accommodations/entertainment/ etc… you don’t want to miss out on anything because of sleepiness, lack of appetite, irritability and so on. So plan ahead and you should be just fine.
We wish you a well-rested demeanor and a pleasant journey!

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