There are surprisingly lots of methods to hack jet lag! I will give you all of them here so stick around to find the new method that you will be using to escape the worst part of long distance travels!
Number 1- The hack that has never failed me
My whole family and I use this every time we are going somewhere long haul. It is so simple yet not that easy to stick to once it comes to it, but as long as you are strong willed and really hate jet lag then you will be fine!
On the flight to where ever you are off to, acclimatise to the timing of your destination. For example: if it is nighttime over there but not in your home town, don’t stay awake because you’re not tired (this is a very common mistake!) try to go to sleep and follow the schedule you will be on when you arrive there.
Quick tip- you could take some sleeping tablets with you to help kick your brain into sleep mode. It can get difficult to force yourself asleep, then you will end up getting frustrated and it just won’t be a great start to your incredible holiday.
Following such a simple hack will change your travelling life, just like it did mine!
Number 2- The hack to back N°1
If just changing your body clock on the flight doesn’t seem to work with you then this is the hack that you could try instead;
Prep your body clock a few days in advance. This is a super tough one as we all have schedules at home that we have to follow, however just slightly changing your body clock daily in the upcoming days to your trip will make a difference when it comes to jet lag.
For example, if you normally eat dinner at 5pm, but you’re flying to a place 3 hours ahead of you then you will have to eat dinner at 8pm instead. Say you do this over a period of 3 days, that means day 1 you will eat dinner at 6pm, day 2 you will eat dinner at 7pm, day 3 you will eat dinner at 8pm and then voila, body clock changed! (Of course, you would have to do this with everything in your daily routine, not just dinner!)
Yup, it’s tough. That’s why I prefer using method 1. However, if you take a while longer to adjust to different time zones, then give this hack a go!
Number 3- Don’t drink tea!
Two of the major factors that have been scientifically proven which make jet lag worse are dehydration and lack of sleep/sleeping problems.
So why should you not have tea? It’s the caffeine! You shouldn’t have any drinks that have caffeine in, no alcoholic drinks (difficult, I know) and no energy drinks.
Why? Well they can cause dehydration and sleep problems which then lead to terrible jet lag, that’s why! Try drinking lots of water instead.
Number 4- Go for an explore
When you arrive to the destination make sure you stick to their timezone as much as you can. This all falls under changing your body clock because of course that is the biggest thing when it comes to jet lag.
Going out will help you keep awake as the bright light will wake your body and mind up, you will feel more tired by the end of the day and you will be making the most out of your holiday too of course!
Number 5- Don’t dinner dive!
It’s super understandable that we all love a good pig out when it comes to our holidays, and of course that starts as soon as we get to the airport right?! I hate to break it to you, but this can be very bad for your poor stomach and your energy.
Most airport food is high in processed oils, additives that we’ve never heard of, high in sugar and high in quick carbohydrates that will make you feel rough.
But not only that, did you know that our gut has a cycle too? We need to make sure that we are eating at the correct times to match the final destination, we need to eat lightly and we should try to pick the healthiest options on the menu (I get that it’s a party pooper, but its better than feeling dreadful afterwards).
Not doing these things can lead to constipation, feeling sick and diarrhoea. All of that ‘gut-lag’ on top of the jet lag will be one horrible experience.
Number 6- Herbs, herbs and more herbs!
When I first found this one out, it did surprise me a little bit- there is a long scientifically proven history of people using herbs and spices to help eliminate their jet lag.
Different herbs and spices will help you in different ways towards avoiding the dreaded jet lag. For example: You can use ginger to help reduce nausea, lavender oil to help promote sleep (also very calming if you have fear of flights) and if you tend to get a bit foggy with what you’re doing, peppermint and lime essential oils do the trick to keep your brain alert.
All you should need is the smell of them, but of course you can choose to use them your own way. Watch out for concentration levels on some of the oils if you are planning on putting them on your skin.
It is not hard to find small enough containers to be allowed through security. Make yourself a little bag with all the herbs and spices to stop the curse of jet lag!
Here are 3 of the places I’ve had to use these hacks for during the long haul flights;
Feel free to give them a read to find out top tips for the areas!
