Beating Jet Lag
We’ve all experienced it. The groggy morning after arriving at our destination only to find that the jet lag is worse than we anticipated. You might be tempted to blame your travel partner or the terrible in-flight movie, but chances are you were actually Beaten by Jet Lag! Here’s how:
Jet lag occurs when there’s a mismatch between your body clock and your destination time. Your body clock uses sunlight as its primary cue to keep track of the passing days, so when you cross several time zones, these cues can no longer steer your body clock in the right direction. Henceforth, you begin to feel tired earlier than usual and wake up before sunrise. But… if you know what causes jet lag, then guess what? You can beat it using the following methods.
1) Darken your room
A dark room tells your body it’s nighttime, which makes you feel sleepy and sets your body clock to an earlier time. With this method, you could easily Beat Jet Lag by a few hours in one day!
2) Use blue light at night
Blue-spectrum light tells your brain to stop producing melatonin, a sleep-related hormone. This means that when you combine blue light with darkness, which naturally makes your body feel tired, the effects of jet lag are reduced as if it never happened! Just be careful not to use blue-light devices for 3 hours before bedtime as they may disrupt normal sleep patterns even further.
3) Exercise daily
You might not be used to exercising during your trip, but engaging in some physical activity every day helps you adjust to new time zones faster. When you exercise regularly, your body clock will keep track of the passing days without any jet lag-related problems. Also, being active during the day rather than just sitting on an airplane will speed up your adjustment.
4) Eat well
When traveling across multiple time zones, it’s important to maintain a balanced diet that includes carbohydrates and proteins. These nutrients are essential for keeping your blood sugar levels stable throughout the trip which reduces jet lag symptoms by allowing you to remain alert when it’s daytime at your destination (i.e., when you still think it’s nighttime back home).
5) Get a good night’s sleep
The effects of jet lag can be minimized if you maintain a roughly normal sleep schedule on your flight over to your destination. This means going to bed and waking up at the same times as you normally do. If you’re traveling from an earlier time zone, then this becomes even more important as it will speed up your adjustment to local time. Also, don’t drink too much caffeine or alcohol during your flight because both beverages interfere with sleep patterns and increase the severity of jet lag. With all these tips in mind, Beat Jet Lag is now possible!
So there you have it – 5 easy steps that will help you easily beat jet lag. By following these simple techniques, you can arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and adjusted to the new time zone. Enjoy your next trip!
Beating Jet Lag is a scientifically proven approach to easier travel and greater health. In one study of Chinese hamsters that were exposed to light at night, results showed that the hamster’s circadian rhythm was altered. This affects their ability to adjust from day/night cycles while being awake or asleep. This makes sense that what you do during the day affects how you sleep at night, and vice versa. It’s interesting to note that results also showed that jet lag was more severe for older hamsters. What would be the physiological reason behind this? Would age affect your circadian rhythm?
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