{"id":21475,"date":"2017-07-12T15:48:51","date_gmt":"2017-07-12T15:48:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.tickettoridegroup.com\/?p=21475"},"modified":"2025-10-17T18:32:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T18:32:11","slug":"10-tips-beat-jet-lag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tickettoridegroup.com\/blog\/10-tips-beat-jet-lag\/","title":{"rendered":"Ten Tips to Beat Jet Lag"},"content":{"rendered":"

You wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat. \u00a0Your heart’s pounding. \u00a0Your eyes are red and you\u2019re anxious and irritable. The symptoms and puffy face looking back at you in the mirror suggest you\u2019ve been on one hell of a bender. \u00a0But no, it\u2019s just jet lag.<\/p>\n

To avoid this,\u00a0if you’ve got a long haul flight in the pipeline, here are a few personal tips on how I manage to beat it.<\/p>\n

“My eyes bloodshot but my jet don\u2019t lag” – Jay Z.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

1. Get a good night’s sleep before you fly<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This may seem simple, but a big night out before a long haul flight isn\u2019t a great idea. Yes, you may be excited or trying to tire yourself out so you sleep on the plane, but get a good night’s sleep instead. \u00a0It will leave you better equipped to cope with the lack of sleep coming your way.<\/p>\n

2. Set your watch<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I always set my watch to my\u00a0destination’s timezone when I get on the plane. \u00a0 Then, I try to completely forget the timezone I’m leaving. It\u2019s great because you can go into a haze of film watching where hours fly by like minutes. \u00a0Soon, voila, you\u2019re psychologically aligned with where you’re heading.<\/p>\n

3. Arrive in daylight<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I’ll admit, this is\u00a0easier said than done when you’ve got schedules and costs to manage. \u00a0However,\u00a0when you arrive in daylight, or better still, the\u00a0afternoon you\u2019ll be able to stay awake easier. \u00a0You should be able to hold out until early evening when it’s socially acceptable to go to bed. \u00a0A great flight I genuinely look forward to (honest) is London Heathrow to Sri Lanka<\/a>, when you leave LHR at 9pm. \u00a0On the flight, you can watch a couple of films, try to doze, and land in CMB at 1pm. \u00a0Then, by the time you\u2019ve got to the coast, you\u2019ll have an hour for a quick surf, followed by a beer and dinner. \u00a0Then, at last, you\u2019re set for bed.<\/p>\n

4. Split up the trip<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019ve got the opportunity to have a stopover, go for it. You\u2019ll get the chance to see a new city (I know Chad loved his 21 hour layover in Ethiopia<\/a>) and\u00a0your body will have more time to adapt to a new routine. This also usually makes your flight loads cheaper.<\/p>\n

5. Airport Yoga<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Yoga as we understand it, the physical movement (asana) was developed by the ancient sages to enable the body to sit around for a long period of time. In other words, to meditate. Try this airport yoga routine<\/a>\u00a0when you\u2019ve got time to kill in departures; your mind will be quietened and your body will also be prepared for the journey.<\/p>\n

6. No booze<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Although I’m\u00a0fond of the odd shandy, I stay away from alcohol whilst flying. This was possibly induced when, in my early 20’s, a friend and I got excited on the way to Sri Lanka. \u00a0To cut a long story short, we completely abused the complimentary in-flight beers, so much so that we were painfully dehydrated when we landed in the 31-degree heat after less than an hour’s sleep and no water and it was easily the worst I have ever felt.<\/p>\n

Consider this your warning: the effects of alcohol at altitude will seriously increase tiredness and cause dehydration. \u00a0This combination will leave you with no chance of beating jet lag.<\/p>\n

7. Drink Water<\/strong><\/h2>\n

This one’s simple. \u00a0Drink lots of water on the plane to stay hydrated and be sharper when you arrive. Buy a big bottle in departures as the tiny glasses you receive sporadically on the flight will not suffice at altitude, or the constant air conditioning.<\/p>\n

8. Sleepy tea<\/strong><\/h2>\n

While we’re on the topic of water, you can ask for unlimited, free hot water on any flight. \u00a0What I call sleepy teas (camomile etc) really do put you in a sleepy state. \u00a0This should guarantee that you get a few hours in on the flight.<\/p>\n

9. Get the fried eggs on toast<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A protein-rich meal the morning, after you arrive, will give your brain what it needs to produce neurochemicals. \u00a0These will increase your alertness throughout the day. Luckily, when you arrive in any Asian country, fried eggs on toast seems to be the only Western breakfast option.<\/p>\n

10. Ride it out<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Don\u2019t worry about it too much. People have survived wars with barely any sleep. Women spend days in labour. I even partied at a festival for three days straight once, and didn\u2019t feel that<\/em> bad afterwards. Just embrace the jet lag and float around at your destination like a zombie until it\u2019s a normal time to go to sleep there.<\/p>\n

Max’s Top Tip<\/strong> (in no way endorsed by Ticket to Ride)<\/h2>\n

Get off the plane and go out for beers, maybe even a nightclub until stupid o clock. \u00a0Wait until you\u2019ve hit that apparently dangerous 24 hours awake phase. \u00a0This way, when you get back to your hotel you will 100% crash out like a baby and get a solid 10 hours in. However, you probably don\u2019t want to do this if you\u2019re coming home and have work the next day.<\/p>\n

(Not Max’s) Medical Advice<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I read somewhere that taking Melatonin reduces jet lag. \u00a0This is because it’s a hormone the body naturally makes that regulates the cycle of sleeping and waking so taking melatonin tablets may help “reset” your sleep and wake cycle. However, the long-term side effects of melatonin have not been well studied so maybe consult a Doctor before putting extra hormones into your body.
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