The key to travel is to return without feeling like you need another vacation, from your vacation. Tough life right?
Well for some, jet lag is a pain in the neck…literally. Few things can leave you feeling worse than a case of jet lag. Fortunately, it can also be dealt with fairly easily. There are plenty of things you can do to avoid this frustrating travel reality even before you ever get on the plane. Here are five things you can do pretravel to avoid jet lag the next time you head off for the wild blue yonder:
Get Plenty of Rest – This one is kind of a no-brainer but it is still worth noting. If you board a flight tired you will come out of it with jet lag. Because it is so directly related to the causes of jet lag, it sits firmly as the number one thing you can do. Get some rest and be fresh when you board the plane.
Eat Well Before You Leave – Eating well does not necessarily mean eating heavy. When I say eat well I mean to eat healthy. Load up on vitamin rich foods like fruits and veggies rather than heavy proteins. Eat a regular meal but just watch to be sure you have some good nutrition in there to boost your metabolism. Avoid alcohol as it will dehydrate you and likely cause jet lag instead.
Start Rotating Your Sleep Schedule Two Weeks Out – If you are changing time zones, the best thing you can do is shift your bed time ten minutes up or down for the two weeks prior to your flight. This will ease the transition a great deal.
Bring Some Creature Comforts – Headphones, sleep masks and ear plugs are all great options to avoid jet lag. The noises and sounds of the plane can be loud and that can be increased ten-fold by a noisy child or flight partner. Bring some things that will allow you to zone out and you will be much better off after a long flight.
Save The Partying For When You Get There – I mentioned no alcohol up above but partying and staying up late the night before can really run you down and make you susceptible to jet lag. Wait until you arrive at your destination before you decide to tie one on.
These five simple tips will keep you jet lag free in all probability so be sure to keep them in mind. Traveling doesn’t have to be so hard! We often bring the jet lag on ourselves….
Are there any tips to avoid jetlag that you think our readers should know?
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