Let’s be honest, jet lag is the WOAT (worst of all time). You can’t sleep, wake up and you are always hungry at random times in the day. I have been in Iceland for almost 4 days now and I feel sluggish and it may be that the sun only sets from 10:45 pm to 3:20 am but I have been hit by jet lag – HARD.
But there are a few ways to kick jet lag in the butt while traveling. Here are my go-to tricks to conquering jet lag:
Sleep on the Plane
I know there are great movies and tv shows on the flight but lean back, relax and doze off to sleep. That white noise should help you PTFO as long as there isn’t a baby on board. This is especially beneficial if you are traveling somewhere where the time difference in 4+ hours ahead of you. That way depending on your arrival, you can either have a whole day of exploring or a night full of memories. So throw on those eye covers and grab some shut eye.
Bring Vitamins
My favorite vitamins to take while traveling are B12, Vitamin C, Biotin, and Melatonin because they help me keep my energy up, keep me from getting sick and help me get on a normal sleeping schedule. I also find it difficult while traveling to get my vitamins in naturally (through different foods) because I am always wanting to try all the local cuisine, so taking a little on the side doesn’t hurt.
Drink Tea
If you are not a tea drinker, not is the time to become one. Unlike coffee, tea can also calm you down. Chamomile and mint is the best tea to help you relax before falling asleep. Green Tea is also a great energy booster. I like bringing my own tea bags in my carry-on so I have access to them on the plane and don’t have to search through the stores for them when I land. I like to avoid coffee at all costs because I always need more, but if you are a coffee drinker then throw back the expressos early on in the day so you can sleep later.
Eat Right
I am a choco-holic. I could eat chocolate everyday, all day. I also love anything fried, it is my weakness but I also love my smoothie bowls and salads. It is so important to eat healthy while you are traveling to keep up your energy and feel good about yourself. Eating right will help you fight back the lag, so indulge in fruits and veggies but make sure to experience the local cuisine in proportions. Overeating can leave your stomach upset and a full stomach is hard to sleep with, so don’t over-stuff yourself!
Stay Active
As soon as you get out of the car or off the plane, make sure you walk around. Tire yourself out so you are able to sleep later on. Wake up and get your morning exercise in before starting your day. Your goal is to keep your body on schedule as close as possible. Exercising also producing endorphins and endorphins make people happy so don’t hold back!
Hydrate
Drink, drink, drink, drink – and by that I mean water. Have as much water as you possibly can. Your body is usually dehydrated after flying or sitting still for long periods of time. So bring your own water bottle and make sure to drink right when you wake up, before and after every meal and right before you go to sleep. Basically drink water all day and you won’t feel jet lagged, you will just have to use the bathroom.
Go to Bed Early
This has to be the biggest struggle for me personally because I want to go out and experience the night life or I get caught up on a Netflix episode so I can’t fall asleep. But it is so important to make sure you clock in your hours early so you can wake up refreshed and jet lag free.
We hope you keep these 6 travel tips in mind before your next trip to help you skip the lag and be the jet setter you truly are. If you have your own tips on how you beat jet lag, comment and share below 🙂
