Jet lag is the common term when our body clock is out of sync with the environment and occurs when travelling across a number of time zones.
Whether you’re travelling on business and need to be sharp for a meeting, an athlete taking on the opposition in their home town or a tourist enjoying the sights, jet lag can be detrimental to your performance. The effects of jet lag can vary for everyone, but some of the more common symptoms of jet lag include daytime drowsiness, insomnia, poor concentration, and slower reaction times.
Here are a few quick tips on how to minimise your jet lag so you can maximise your vacation.
Don’t forget the H2O
While you may want to enjoy a refreshing glass of wine on the flight, you need to remember to drink plenty of water. Because the cabin is pressurised and the humidity levels are lower in the airplane, you can easily become dehydrated. Making sure you stay hydrated on the flight will help you to adjust your biological clock more quickly after the flight.
Adjust the clock
Once you are on the airplane, you will want to adjust your watch to reflect the local time of your destination. Although it will be tempting to watch a few movies, if it is already 2am at your destination it might be time to get some sleep.
Avoid the afternoon snooze
When you arrive at your destination, try to avoid taking naps even if your body is having trouble adjusting to the time difference. The best thing to do is power through it and get on schedule with the local time.
Get some exercise
It might be the last thing you want to do when you are tired, but a light jog or even a brisk walk will raise your the level of endorphins in your body, which will help you to block out that dreaded feeling of drowsiness that we all know too well.
Avoid red eye flights
While red eye flights might save you some time, the loss of sleep won’t be worth it when you arrive. Get a good night’s rest, and fly back the next day. Let’s be honest, everything is going to be alright if you have to push that meeting back a day.
