Jet lag can ruin the beginning of your holiday, leaving you unable to function properly for days after landing at your destination. People suffer from jet lag after flying long distances.

However, it isn’t the distance traveled that causes jet lag symptoms. It’s crossing different time zones. And, as our body struggles to adapt to the different patterns of light and dark, it leaves us feeling groggy and disoriented and it can take days for some people to properly adjust. I’m all too familiar with the debilitating effects of jetlag.



Having made several trips on one of the longest possible flights, crossing 12 time zones, (between the UK and New Zealand), I know in advance I may as well forget about planning anything for the first few days, since they’re inevitably taken up with getting over those dreaded symptoms of jet lag.

Researchers are continually trying to find new jet lag remedies, but in the meantime, if you’re heading across several time zones, you may find it worthwhile trying out some of the following jet lag remedies. Some of them can work well, but you have to be determined enough to follow them through.

Choose Your Flight Time Wisely 

Try booking a flight that arrives sometime in the afternoon. This way, no matter how far you’ve traveled, you should be able to stay awake long enough to go to sleep at a reasonable hour.

Prepare Your Body

A few days before you leave, start going to bed and getting up two hours earlier than usual, if you are flying east. Or if you’re flying west, go to bed later and get up later, though this can be difficult with regular daytime schedules to follow.

Adjust your time zone Once you’re in the air, adjust any time devices such as your watch or cell phone to match the time at your destination. As you’re flying you can quickly lose sense of time, but looking at your watch can help mentally prepare you for the new time zone.

Eating and drinking 

What and when you eat on a long transatlantic flight can make a huge difference to the symptoms of jet lag. A so-called diet to avoid jet lag (antijetlagdiet) has been devised at the University of Chicago’s Argonne National Laboratory, who say those that following it are seven times less likely to suffer jet lag when traveling east and 16 times less likely if going west.

The diet should be stringently followed and it begins three days before the flight. It’s very low on calories and rules out alcohol to reduce dehydration. For those that don’t enjoy the in-flight meals, this could be worth a try.

Sleeping 

If possible, wait until night before you go to sleep, as having naps can confuse your internal bodyclock. However, sleeping properly on a plane isn’t easy. You have to contend with the upright position as well as numerous interruptions, including meals, in-flight entertainment and noisy children, plus stopovers for refueling.

To help make it easier to sleep, pack some earplugs, an eye mask to block out all light and help trigger production of your body’s melatonin, and also pack a neck pillow. Tell the plane stewards in advance if you’d rather not be disturbed for the next meal.

Soak Up the Light 

Once you've arrived at your destination, get out in the daylight as soon as possible and soak up plenty of fresh air and stick to any exercise routine if you have one. This can all help to reset your body clock.

Stimulants 

Drinks with caffeine in them, such as coffee can help with keeping you awake during the day. However, don’t drink them after 4pm as the effects will keep you buzzing too long and may prevent sleeping just when you need it.

Before you do go to sleep, many people find taking melatonin tablets work well since they help to induce sleepiness. But stop taking them after two or three nights if they’re not having any effect. Until the definitive ‘cure’ for jet lag has been found, all anyone can really do is keep trying out different remedies until you find one that works.

As for myself, I need caffeine and pills. And I’m not prepared to give up the in-flight meals, it’s the best part of the trip!