Traveling the world is awesome. It’s so awesome that it’s worth a little suffering for and that suffering usually comes in the form of jetlag (unless you are flying coach, in which case it comes in the form of a tiny, upright seat, followed by jetlag).
I tend to travel back and forth between the U.S. and Asia at least a few times a year and I find that the full 12-hour timezone flip is the worst for jet lag. I’ve been doing this long enough to have picked up a few tricks that will help you karate-chop jet lag in the throat so you can get out and enjoy your destination!
- Choose a flight that lands in the evening or late afternoon
This is one of the most important things that you can do to help get your body adjusted. Landing in the evening means that you don’t have to spend a long time trying to stay awake at your destination. This is important because even traveling in first class takes its toll on your body and exhaustion will be making your life more difficult. So landing in the evening means that you are that much closer to some well deserved rest.
2. Sleep On The Plane
Whenever possible, try and get some sleep in on the plane. First class helps with this. I like to use alcohol and sleeping aids as well (disclaimer: I am not a doctor and you should not do anything I do or listen to anything I say). If I can get 4 solid hours of sleep on a flight I consider this to be enough to get me through the subsequent day. Especially if I land in the afternoon or evening.
3. Go for a walk
Sitting in your hotel room because you’re tired is a sure fire way to fall asleep at the wrong time and ensure that your jet lag will be making your life suck for several days. Drop your bags in the hotel. Hop in the shower quick (if you haven’t already showered in the arrival lounge), get out the door and start walking. Nothing helps quite as much as a nice long walk. I usually try and walk around for at least a couple of hours and I find that this resets my schedule and restores my energy level after a long flight.
4. Eat your meals at the appropriate times
Your body needs a schedule and it’s up to you to set your body to your new schedule. One of the most important parts of your schedule is eating. So eat your meals at the time that is appropriate for your time zone. Eating dinner at midnight is just making it harder for your body to adjust.
Hopefully these four simple tips will have you deftly defeating jet lag so you can get out there and enjoy the hell out of your trip!
Hit me up with all your questions and comments!
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