I’ve crossed my fair share of time zones and I’ve only ever been jet-lagged once… yep ONCE. As such, I’ve opted to share my tips and tricks below.
CHANGE YOUR WATCH AS SOON AS YOU BOARD
This would have to be the most effective tool. Switching your watch and ‘body clock’ to the time of your destination has enabled me to get adequate sleep on board and arrive feeling fresh. It means I start living the ‘holiday’ life as soon as I’m on board by either watching a movie (if it’s morning/middle of the day at our destination) or I head straight to sleep as soon as I’m the plane (if the locals are sleeping).
NATURAL JET-LAG TABLETS
Now, I can’t talk about the brands I recommend as per the TGA guidelines but I personally use some over the counter homeopathic jet-lag tablets. These are available in outdoor shops, health food stores and even the newsagents in the airport. I personally have only left home once without them and funnily enough it was the one time I had jet-lag – coincidence? Maybe. Always read the label and take only as directed.
EARTH WHEN YOU ARRIVE
As soon as you’re off the plane (and out of the airport – obviously), take your shoes off and place your feet on the earth – some do this on the beach or in a park. Ground yourself where you are for approximately 20 minutes and give yourself time to re-connect.
STAY HYDRATED
Probably the one thing so many of us forget to do whilst on board. Take a water-bottle on board and fill it up wherever you can – whether it’s in the terminal or on the plane (ask the host/hostess where the best place to fill up is). Staying hydrated and drinking at least 1L of water throughout a long-haul flight is essential!
EAT LIGHT
I don’t eat much on planes and if I do, it’s something I’ve prepared earlier. Remember you’re not moving around for 8+ hours (sometimes more) there’s no need to carb load. Eat something light and fresh to keep your blood sugars stable and then use the rest of the time to get adequate rest.
HAVE I MISSED YOUR GO-TO JET-LAG REMEDIES? I’D LOVE TO HEAR THEM! PLEASE POP THEM IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!
