Wednesday, April 9, 2014

travel tips: jet lag

when we got back from europe last month,
we had to get right back in the swing of things..
finishing our move, catching up at work, 
a visit to napa, and lots of visitors on the way. 
no time to catch up on sleep! because of this, 
i had to be smart about minimizing jet lag and 
taking care of my body so i could handle it all! i've 
had some trips where the jet lag wasn't too bad, 
but i've had other times with terrible jet lag (including 
fainting after returning from china...) jet lag can range 
from feeling drowsy to being up all night, to extreme 
thirst, to night sweats. we want to feel as good as possible 
when landing in a new country and returning home from 
an international trip. i've already done a post on flying smart
but i thought it was about time to do a post with some quick 
jet lag tips. so here are just a few! they won't stop jet lag, 
it is just one of those things that comes with this travel 
thing we love...but they should help minimize it! 


  • DRINK WATER! i already try to drink lots of water every day, but it's especially important to hydrate before a long flight that will dehydrate you. continue drinking lots of water after landing as well! eat healthy and take care of your body from the start. avoid caffeine/alcohol because they just dehydrate you more.
  • when you board a flight, set your watch or phone to the time at the destination so you get your mindset into that time and can try to sleep accordingly.
  • spend time outside in the sunshine and fresh air when you arrive. this tells your body that it's time to be awake!
  • depending on when you arrive at your destination, try your best to stay awake and go do something until night time when everyone else falls asleep. growing up on every international trip my dad would FORCE us to stay awake until nighttime in the new place...it was so hard!! when i went on my study abroad i landed in paris and went to the hotel and decided since it was my first international trip alone, i would let myself sleep for an hour or two....my friend and i woke up 7 hours later right when it was time to go to bed in france! we were up that ENTIRE night and it took us a lot longer to adjust. lesson learned, dad! :) try to wait until around 9:00 pm to sleep wherever you are. 
  • use a jet lag app like jetlag genie or jet-lag rescue
  • some people take a dose of melatonin when it's time to sleep. i've heard good things, but i've never tried this myself. 
  • if you're preparing for an international trip ahead of time, you can adjust your sleep schedule one hour per day the week before. if you'll be flying east, adjust your sleep schedule one hour earlier each day. if you're going west, adjust your sleep schedule one hour later each day. this is for hard core people, i've never done this but it would sure help!
  • get "earthed."  seriously, connect with the ground. take off your shoes and dig your feet into the sand/grass/ground and connect with the earth where you are. it sounds strange, but it's the jet lag secret to getting on a new time zone + connecting with a new place.
  • be positive! let's be honest...despite these tips, jet lag can happen and it doesn't feel good. in these moments, stay positive and remember WHY you have jet lag...because you've been lucky enough to be on a long flight across time zones to a different & beautiful place! this thought will help you get through it.

^^ having a cute + comfy travel outfit 
helps so that you can sleep & relax on the 
flight, but be ready to go when you land!

^^ remember..jet lag = worth it :)
it means you're going 
somewhere new and far from home. 

^^ lots of {healthy} snacks help!
eat little meals to give your body energy.

^^ airport hydrating

^^ and, have a cute boy around to
carry your bags so you can save energy :)

comment with any other tips you have to 
lessen jet lag! i'd love to know!
xo

ps...speaking of flying,
loved this clip that chase sent me...it's so true!
every single time i fly i am baffled that we 
are casually flying through the sky and landing 
across the world. it's incredible. let's not forget 
that, even when it doesn't go perfectly!

pps... look at these "dirty little secrets"
told by airline pilots + flight attendants
all about flying. good to know! article here.

16 comments:

  1. Really great tips! I am always totally OK when I'm travelling east, but when I travel west I get so jet lagged. I listened to that clip before on the podcast Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase. You should totally check it out if you're the podcast-listening type of person!

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    1. i love podcasts but have never heard of that one...have to check it out now! thanks!!

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  2. I'm fortunate where I have never been hit with too much jet lag (probably because I always make sure to adjust my sleep schedule on the flight)-- I don't use melatonin, but generic sleep aids (nyQuil without the cold medicine) help me. It'll be interesting for me to see how my upcoming flight goes, as I've got a 12 hour time difference and 26 hours of traveling!

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  3. Definitely keeping this post handy for our next international trip later this summer!! We took melatonin to adjust to the time change from east coast to hawaii time and it did wonders...will probably do the same for Europe!! You have great tips as usual!!

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    1. that is good to know...i don't know why i've never done it! next trip for sure. xo

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  4. I want your passport cover, so cute! That has to help jet lag, right? I think trying to time flights to arrive at times when you can enjoy sightseeing helps too. We like to arrive in Europe in the morning, so that we don't crash out right away. We usually freshen up with shower at hotel and head straight out to a meal.

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  5. How about tips for a terrified flyer, haha!? I seriously envy your ease when it comes to travel.

    xo

    Michaela

    http://michaelajeanblog.com

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    1. ahhhh so hard! my grandma is the same way, i get it! i wish i had good tips for that, i'll have to brainstorm some! how often do you fly? xo

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  6. Great tips! We struggled for days after returning from Fiji for our honeymoon. We're heading to Europe for the first time in less than a month, and we arrive at 9:30am their time and I hope to power through the day as much as possible to get on their schedule. *fingers crossed*

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    1. love that!! yes, i love to land in europe early in the morning and going all day-- the jet lag usually doesn't hit as hard because i'm too excited / full of adrenaline from being in europe! you can do it! HAVE FUN! xo

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  7. Awh yes so true! All these tips are awesome

    come on over,
    http://abeautifulheart07.blogspot.com/

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  8. Jet lag really is the worst. I still have a hard time with it even with the traveling we've done the past year! But like you said, its all worth it. :) Especially if you have one of those froyos waiting for you!

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  9. Oh, I am so going to need these tips! I like the tip about setting your watch to the time zone of your destination...totally trying that!

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