Jet Lag - how to deal with that

[F1Ape]

Any advice to lessen Jet Lag. Would waking up really early the day of my flight help???

[Patrick]

I'll take advice from anyone on that subject too. Long flights kill my energy level and throw off my sleep badly!

Sometimes based on when the flight leaves there's not much choice, if I can I try and adjust my sleep a day or two before I leave, closer to the region I'm going to so I won't be so out of whack.

[Kim]

Basically, the only way I've found that works is to force yourself on to the time of your destination. As in, if you arrive somewhere and it's 3pm their time, try your best to stay up until your regular bedtime hour.

When we arrived in Asia, it was morning so I made myself (with drugs.. LOL) sleep on the plane like it was nighttime.

Another couple of tips is to keep hydrated by drinking lots of water and avoid alcohol on the plane.

When we went to Europe, we arrived about 3 in the afternoon and were tired, so we went to sleep. Big mistake! I realized this and the next day forced myself on to European time. My boyfriend caved and slept early and had a longer time getting over jet lag than me.

Kim

[F1Ape]

anyone ever used the No-jet-lag pills u can buy at the airport for like $10??

[emily]

Kim, i have to agree with you about forcing yourself to adjust to the new time zone....

every flight i've had over seas has been arriving at about 6-7am...so you have the whole day of daylight adrenaline which helps me to stay awake.... so usually force myself to stay awake all day and then go to bed a little earlier than normal on the first night....... the first day is always the toughest for me, but thats the only thing ive tried to get rid of jet lag.......
has anyone ever tried pre-adjusting to jetlag....setting your clocks to that time zone the day or two before to get yourself on that time zone??

[EricaT]

I haven't tried it yet Emily, but thats what I plan to do in a month when I leave for London.

[F1Ape]

that would be hard, u would have to wake up at like 4am, ouch.

[snorkelman]

On the flight to Europe you will probably be able to drink beer for free. Resist the urge and do not drink alcohol. Opt for water. The reason is that flying for that length of time will tire you out and dehydrate you and you should drink water not alcohol (which further dehydrates you).

Also, your flight will most likely arrive in Europe in the early morning (European time) and it will probably be very late your normal USA/Canada time, so try to sleep on the plane, because you will have to stay up for the whole first day you arrive (well you don’t have to, but you should in order to get over the jet lag.

You might be pretty excited and unable to sleep on the plane. If that is the case, read up on the first city that you will be arriving in and make sure you know how to get from the airport to the train station (or to your lodging).

[WillTravel]

This is what worked well for me last year taking a nonstop flight from Vancouver to London, leaving around 9 PM in the evening and arriving at 2 PM in London.

I got plenty of sleep the night before.
I slept for a couple hours on the plane (the most I could manage). (I guess it was probably somewhere before Greenland that I slept.) As we moved into the light over Greenland, I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. I drank a cup of coffee and ate the breakfast such as it was when it was Icelandic breakfast time.

When I got off the plane in London, went through customs, got my luggage, and eventually made my way to Victoria Station via the Gatwick Express, I got a latte and a sandwich at a cafe nearby (so essentially it was a late lunch or early dinner at about 4 PM London time). Note - I have never had two cups of coffee in one day in my life, but I thought this was a reasonable exception .

I checked into the hostel, and went out for the rest of the evening, coming back relatively late - like 11 PM (but still 3 PM my time). I then forced myself to go to sleep, and I slept through until about 6:30 AM (waking a couple times). I took a shower, and felt almost as good as new in the morning. That night, I went to bed around 11 PM or so like usual. So whatever I did worked for me.

When I returned to Vancouver, I slipped right back into a normal schedule. (I left at around 8 PM in London, and when everything was said and done, was back at home in bed in Vancouver at 11 PM.) The funny thing was that I am usually a night owl, and like to stay up late. However, the first week or two I could not stay up later than 11 PM, and I was always awake by 7 AM. I gradually slipped back into my less salutary habits.

[gamegrl1]

I read on these boards that when you fly east, try to stay up as late as possible beforehand in the days leading up to your trip. I was thinking "What a good idea!" and then realized it's not feasible for me because I have to be at work the days before we leave! With only a few hours sleep I'd be a zombie and my boss would kill me! haha

Thanks for the advice on NO NAPS. We arrive in Paris around noon, so I will mentally steel myself to stay up for as long as I can.