There’s nothing more exciting than hopping on a plane headed to a far-off destination for a much-needed vacation. But one thing can make it hard to enjoy yourself once you’ve arrived: jet lag.
Jet lag is a temporary disruption to your normal sleep schedule that can occur whenever you travel between time zones. Common symptoms? Extreme fatigue, irritability, and difficulty sleeping. Although jet lag is only temporary, it can definitely put a damper on your trip. Fortunately, there are ways to beat jet lag before it ruins your vacation. Here’s how:
Sleep Well the Night Before
We love to jet set as much as the next worker bee. Don’t let the excitement of vacation keep you up the night before your flight. Stick to your normal sleep schedule. Well-rested individuals are not as affected by changes in their sleep schedules as those that are sleep-deprived. This means that getting a good night’s sleep prior to your flight will make it easier for your body to fight off jet lag and adjust to the new time zone.
Avoid Taking Naps
It can be beyond tempting to crawl underneath the covers once you’ve arrived at your hotel. Fight the urge. Try to stay awake until it’s your usual bedtime in the new time zone. This helps reset your circadian rhythm and forces your body to adjust to local time.
Staying awake this long may be difficult, especially if you’ve traveled across multiple time zones. But it can prevent jet lag from interfering with your trip. If you’re struggling to keep your eyes open, go outside so you’re exposed to natural light. This will tell your body it’s time to wake up, so you feel more energized and alert.
Stay Hydrated
Jet lag is mainly caused by the body’s struggle to adjust to a new time zone. That being said, the dry air inside of an airplane cabin can also contribute by quickly dehydrating you if you’re not drinking enough water. Since dehydration can make you feel tired, this could be one of the reasons you’re exhausted when you get off the plane. Drink water throughout the trip so the effects of dehydration don’t add to your fatigue.
Drink Som Sleep
Melatonin is a hormone that plays a particularly important role in the regulation of your body’s sleep cycle. Melatonin levels rise as it gets dark outside, making you feel drowsy and ready for bed. Then they drop in the morning as it gets light outside, telling your body it’s time to rise and shine. When you travel, it can take a while for your body’s sleep cycle to adjust to your new time zone, which can make it difficult to fall asleep. Som Sleep, which includes Melatonin, can help you combat this problem.
Som is packed with five active ingredients to help you fall asleep and adjust to the new time zone. Magnesium and Vitamin B6 aim to ensure your body’s natural sleep cycle is running as smoothly as possible. L-Theanine and GABA help promote relaxation so you’re ready to fall asleep. Melatonin is the trigger that starts the natural process of events that leads to falling asleep.
Drink a serving of Som about 30 minutes before you’d like to go to sleep. It won’t knock you out like a prescription sleeping pill. Instead it will promote rest and relaxation so you can gently fall asleep, helping you reset your sleep cycle and adjust to local time.
Recreate Your Routine
One way to help your body more quickly adjust to the new time zone is to recreate your normal nightly routine. Do you always take a hot bath before climbing into bed? Don’t skip this step simply because you’re not at home. Your body knows that a hot bath means it’s almost time to go to sleep. If you’re having a hard time adjusting, take an evening soak in the tub to tell your body it’s time to start getting ready to fall asleep.
Think about what you do before bed on a regular basis. Then pack everything you’ll need to recreate this routine on vacation. If you don’t, it will be harder for your body to figure out when it’s time to start winding down.
Don’t Remind Yourself of the Time Change
A lot of travelers get in the habit of reminding themselves of the time back home. You may tell yourself it’s perfectly fine to stay up later than usual because it’s still early back home. Spoiler alert: it’s not. Focus on what time it is in your current location. This simple tip can trick your mind into getting on board with local time. Once the mind has adjusted, the body will soon follow.
Move Your Bedtime in Advance
Consider slowly adjusting your bedtime in the days leading up to your trip. If you’re traveling from east to west, try to go to bed about one to two hours later than usual for a few nights before the flight. If you’re traveling in the opposite direction, make an effort to snooze one to two hours earlier to prepare for the trip. This is a great way to ease your body into a new sleeping schedule so jet lag doesn’t interfere with your trip.
There’s no reason to spend your vacation feeling fatigued. You’ve earned the right to relax, so make the most out of every moment on your trip by following these tips to fight jet lag!