5 Proven Effective Tips For Preventing Jet Lag

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Jet lag is the worst. You’re so excited for your trip, and you’ve spent months imagining all the fun you’re going to have. But then you sit on a plane for half a day, zipping through several time zones, and the next thing you know, your body doesn’t know what day or time it is. It really can put a damper on the first couple days of a trip.

Lucky for you, I've found a few tricks over the years that have really helped me.

1. Sleep with the time zone of your destination. This is a big one. The second you step foot on that plane, you need to convince your body that you’re on your destination’s time. Set all device clocks and watches to destination time. If it’s night time at your destination, sleep. If it’s day time, stay awake. This may mean taking a nap before going to the airport so you can stay up.

2. Melatonin is your friend. I always bring some in my carry-on. Melatonin is a hormone that your body naturally produces to regulate your night and day cycles and tell you when it's time to sleep. When it's light out, your body releases less melatonin, and when it's dark it releases more. It is available as an oral supplement sold at almost every convenient store, drug store, or supplement shop. And most importantly, it's safe. Take some before you want to sleep to help get your body used to the new night time. Read more about melatonin from the Mayo Clinic.

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3. Two words: sleep mask. It’s hard to sleep on a plane when it’s sunny outside, so if you’re trying to follow the first tip, a sleep mask to block out the light can be a huge help. There are so many options out there for sleep masks. If you don't normally find them comfortable, I think it's just because you haven't found the right one yet. Keep looking.

4. Dress for the time of day. If it’s time to sleep, wear pajamas, or at least comfy clothes. You can’t possibly be comfortable getting a decent amount of sleep in a business suit or jeans.

5. Set an alarm if you decide to take a nap. Once you get to your hotel or other lodging, it can be tempting to take a quick nap. I don’t recommend this. I say tough it out until at least 8:30p and then get a good night’s sleep. If you really can’t bear it and must take a nap, set an alarm. Make it a quick nap, no longer than an hour or two. If you don’t set an alarm, you run the risk of sleeping until dinner time!