5 top tips for beating jet lag
Ever flown a long-distance flight and felt out-of-sorts afterwards? Groggy, irritable or unwell, and had difficulty sleeping – for days, even? It’s very likely you were experiencing jet lag: a common phenomenon, and recognised medical condition. But what is jet lag, and why do we experience it?
Essentially, jet lag is the disruption of our internal circadian rhythms. These rhythms are found within all living organisms, and are responsible for dictating multiple processes – primarily sleep. You can think of them as internal body clocks. When we fly long distances, we lose or gain time. This disrupts our circadian rhythms, causing insomnia, and provoking a number of other physical and mental symptoms. Especially if we fly east, and through several time zones. If we fly west, we’ll likely fly through fewer time zones, and experience a less severe jet lag. And if we fly north to south, never travelling through time zones, we’ll dodge all symptoms altogether.
Ultimately, jet lag is a natural bodily response, which can’t be entirely avoided or immediately resolved. But it can be managed and minimised with simple strategies before, during, and after a long-distance flight. In this article, we’ll look first at the common symptoms of jet lag, and then reveal our 5 top tips for beating it.
WorldRemit Content Team
• 4 mins read • Updated
What does jet lag feel like?
The symptoms of jet lag can either set in immediately after a gruelling long-distance flight, or within a few days of arrival. Many travellers find they can sleep well on their first night in a new destination; only to have difficulty sleeping the following nights.
Typically, jet lag will last a few days, with symptoms persisting for 1-1.5 days for each time zone crossed. In extreme cases, it can be felt weeks after flying – but, again, the severity of symptoms varies depending on the individual.
Here are the most common symptoms of jet lag:
Difficulty sleeping
Jet lag can make falling asleep more difficult, and result in periods of insomnia. It may also cause you to wake up at irregular hours – and can even cause sleep paralysis or nighttime seizures. All of which can contribute to daytime drowsiness and fatigue.
Mental fatigue
Naturally, with a lack of sleep comes impaired cognitive function. If you’re experiencing jet lag, you may struggle to concentrate, and feel less mentally sharp.
Feeling emotional
Similarly, a lack of sleep can impact your emotional stability. This is because sleep deprivation unbalances the hormonal systems that govern our moods. If you’re experiencing jet lag, you may also experience general malaise or anxiety.
Physical weariness
If you’re experiencing jet lag, you probably won’t be at full strength; and could feel muscle aches and pains. You may also encounter some gastrointestinal irregularities, including nausea, constipation, and irritable bowels.
Our 5 top tips for beating jet lag
As we outlined earlier in the article, jet lag is an inevitable bodily response; and can only be fully beaten once an individual’s circadian rhythm has been reset. However, there are steps that can be taken: before, during, and after flying to minimise the effects.
Some may even seem a little counterintuitive – but trust us, you’ll be glad in the long-run.
Tip #1: Prepare properly
Proper preparation before a long-haul flight can be a real game-changer. We’re talking a few factors here: firstly, ensure you get enough sleep in the nights before your flight. Secondly, minimise stress by packing well in advance. And thirdly, plan your trip carefully, so that you’re not rushing to an engagement or business meeting as soon as you land.
Tip #2: Manage sleep time
When you arrive at your destination, nap with caution. And don’t be overly reliant on sleeping pills, either. Both of these can throw your circadian rhythms out of sync, and result in a more prolonged period of insomnia. Also ensure that you wake up early, promptly, and don’t lie-in – that way you can get back into a healthy routine sooner.
Tip #3: Stay hydrated
This might sound like an obvious one, but long-distance flights can significantly dehydrate a traveller. And dehydration is always bad news for the body. So, replenish your fluids, and limit coffee and alcohol intake (more on this below).
Tip #4: Limit coffee and alcohol
A stimulant and a depressant respectively, both coffee and alcohol can play havoc with a sleep pattern. They also dehydrate the body, which will exacerbate any jet lag symptoms. We recommend reducing your intake of these during a long-distance flight – and possibly even a day or two either side of your journey.
Tip #5: Get some sunlight
Sunlight is integral to healthy circadian rhythms – and is also a vital source of vitamin D, which helps regulate the immune system. By enjoying natural light early in the day, and avoiding blue light before bed (think: smartphones, tablets, laptops) it’s possible to encourage a circadian rhythm back to normal sooner.
About WorldRemit
We hope this article will help you manage jet lag in the future – and if you’re taking a long-distance flight any time soon, check out our recent blog: How to find cheap flights in 2023.
Alternatively, if you can’t be home in person, and want to send money to loved ones instead, we can help. Our low fees will save you money, and our service is fast and reliable – plus, it’s trusted by 5 million users (and counting).
So, why not sign up to WorldRemit, and make a money transfer today?
The contents of this blog post does not constitute legal or financial advice and is provided for general information purposes only. If you require specific legal and / or financial advice you should contact a specialist lawyer or financial advisor. Information true at time of publishing.
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