I suffer with jet lag. Every. Single. Time. I travel East. And no matter what I do to combat or attempt to stem the jet lag it still hits me like a ton of bricks. It was something Raj was rather bemused by, as he has never suffered with jet lag. arriving When we arrived in Bangkok two weeks ago I was suffering whilst Raj was leaping out of bed first in the morning with a spring in his step, and knowing we’d both been through exactly the same sleep and food patterns previously, I decided there must be an individual factor to jet lag.
So rather than list out the usual jet lag prevention tips I want to share how to deal with jet lag once you’ve actually started suffering with it. Because, if you’re like me, jet lag can take up to a week to get over. And if you’re only on a 1-2 week holiday, that’s going to suck.
How to Deal With Jetlag
Be Kind To Yourself
Seriously, don’t beat yourself up if you’re suffering. Jetlag happens. And some of us suffer more than others. So be kind to yourself, roll with it and accept it’s part of your trip.
Drink Loads of Water
Almost all health advice includes this but it’s totally worth reminding and remembering to drink loads of water and stay hydrated so that your body can repair and adjust as quickly as possible. Water really is the best medicine.
Eat Light
Try to keep your meals pretty light so that your body can concentrate on adjusting rather than digesting heavy and complex foods.
Do NOT Sleep During The Day
It is soooooo tempting to sleep as soon as you possibly can but do not give in to sleeping during the day once you’ve reached your destination – you’ll only stretch out the jetlag. Do whatever you can to avoid daytime sleeping.
Get Some Light Exercise
One of the best ways to stay awake during the day is to do some light exercise such as walking or a gently swim. You’ll get your muscles moving enough to tire them for an evening’s sleep and it’ll keep you away from napping.
Do NOT Watch TV / Do Read a Book
Keep your eyes away from screens as much as possible. The glare of televisions, mobile phones and laptops interferes with your sleep patterns. So grab yourself a book or chosen reading material if you need some distraction or bedtime activity.
Catch some rays
No, don’t burn yourself to a crisp but do get a bit of sun exposure. Natural light helps your body readjust to the new timezone.
Warn your travel partner(s)
And finally, maybe offer a heads-up to the people you’re travelling with that you might be at your best. For me, I become particularly clumsy and forgetful when I’m jetlagged. It’s worth just letting them know what to expect so those not suffering can help you out where necessarily.