Are you feeling drained and lost after experiencing the turbulence of jet lag? Don’t stress! Read on to find out how you can master the art of managing time zones and adjusting to new schedules for a hassle-free, energized travel experience.
1. Combatting Jet Lag: Step-By-Step Tactics
Get the Right Amount of Sleep – Getting the right amount of sleep the days leading up to your flight and during your flight are crucial to battling jet lag. A few days before the flight, try to get an extra hour or two of sleep each night. At this stage, sleeping during the day can help make up the difference. Once you board the plane, adjust your watch to the local time of your destination and try to fall asleep. This is one of the most effective ways of setting your biological clock to the new time. Once you arrive at your destination, maintain the pattern you began on your flight.
Stay Hydrated – Doing your best to stay hydrated throughout the flight will help to combat the effects of jet lag. During the flight, try to drink plenty of water or other non-alcoholic beverages. Replacing the fluids that the body loses will make a difference in how your body adjusts. Alcohol, coffee, or soda are not recommended since these contribute to dehydration and can worsen the effects of jet lag.
Stay Active – During your flight and in the time immediately following your flight, staying active is essential. If you’re able to walk around the cabin of the plane a couple of times, it will help keep the circulation in your legs and help reduce the effects of jet lag. Additionally, if you’re traveling to a different time zone, when you arrive, plan to stay active. Go for a walk, or even attend a yoga or tai-chi class. Anything that gets your heart rate up will help your body adjust.
Adjust to the Local Time – This is an important step in combating jet lag. Once you arrive at your destination, try to stay up until the local time. Although it may be tempting to take a nap, try to avoid it as doing so will make it more difficult to sleep later on in the evening. This is especially true of overseas flights when the time difference will be more extreme.
Eat Right – Eating meals at the normal time at your destination can help your body adjust to the new time. As much as it’s tempting to eat heavyweight snacks on the flight, opt instead for lighter healthier fare like salads, fruits, and vegetables. Additionally, try to avoid sugary or processed foods as these can make you sleepy. Also, try to limit your caffeine intake as this can make it more difficult for your body to adjust to the new local time.
Take Melatonin Supplements – Melatonin is a hormone found in the human body that is responsible for regulating sleep. Taking a melatonin supplement can help your body adjust to the new time zone. However, it is important to speak with your health-care provider before taking melatonin. Additionally, be sure to take the melatonin at the same time every day to ensure your body’s circadian rhythms are kept in sync.
2. Altering Your Schedule According to the Time Zone
Once you have determined the new time zone you will be working in, you should look at altering your daily schedule to fit this. Some tips for successfully adjusting are listed below:
Account for Daylight Savings Time: Different countries observe daylight savings time, or DST, on different dates. Be sure to properly account for the extra hour, or the loss of an hour, to ensure you know when your meetings and chats will be taking place.
Designate Time for Breaks: Knowing the local morning, lunch, and afternoon breaks in the new zone will help you plan when you need to take a break from work. Scheduling these days off, or designating time from work to participate in non-work activities, will help improve happiness and productivity.
Arrange Long-Term Meetings: Due to the time zone adjustment, most of your meetings, conferences, webinars, etc. will take place when you will be asleep. Looking over the local calendar and arranging for an alternative day and time for that specific event is necessary. As for video-calls, consider that using a time-zone friendly software to establish long-term team meetings will be helpful for all those involved.
Avoid Overlapping Working Hours: Although there are some overlapping working hours in the new timezone, try to adjust them in order to get some rest and downtime. Spreading them out can prove to be helpful in avoiding stress and fatigue.
- Sleeping between 9 pm – 6 am is ideal and can be made possible by slowly transitioning this timeframe once in the new time zone
- Altering your workload relative to the new time zone will also prove beneficial for the well-being of everyone involved
- Be flexible! Involve your team and the other people in deciding on working hours that are suitable for all parties
Staying in tune with the new time zone can be challenging, but if planned wisely it can open up many new possibilities and increase productivity.
3. Reducing Tiredness: Tips to Counteract Jet Lag
Dealing with jet lag can feel like an insurmountable task, especially for those who fly frequently. Battling the feelings of fatigue and sleep deprivation that follow long-distance travel can be tiring, but there are some steps you can take to make the journey less strenuous.
Exposure to sunlight: After arriving in your destination, get outside as soon as possible and expose yourself to natural sunlight. This will help your body adjust to the local daylight-dark cycle, to which your circadian rhythm will naturally begin to sync. Even during the winter, a short walk in the sunshine can be beneficial.
Eat healthy: Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for both your mental and physical wellbeing. When you’re experiencing jet lag, snacking on nutritious snacks like dark chocolate, seeds, nuts, and green vegetables is especially important, as they will keep your energy up and help stabilize your blood sugar levels.
Stay hydrated: Dehydration can increase fatigue levels and make jet lag syptoms worse, so it’s important to stay hydrated during and after your flight. Bring along a refillable water bottle to ensure you’re drinking enough while traveling.
Maintain a schedule: You know your body best, so sticking to the same sleeping, eating, and activity times is key to preventing the effects of jet lag. Make sure to plan your trips to account for personal preferences when it comes to your sleep and eating schedule, and stick to consistent times when possible.
Excercise: Exercising in the morning and evening is a great way to combat the physical and mental fatigue that comes with jet lag. Activities like yoga or taking a brisk walk outdoors will give your body a boost of energy and help regulate your sleep-wake cycle.
4. Strategies for Adjusting to a New Time Zone Routine
Jet lag can be a real drag. After all, who wants to feel tired and sluggish after a long flight? But by making a few key adjustments, you can quickly acclimate to your new time zone routine. Start with these four strategies for smoothing the transition:
- Start adjusting your sleep cycle before you leave – This is one of the most important steps. Begin shifting your sleep cycle a few days before your flight. Start by going to bed 15 minutes earlier each day and waking 15 minutes earlier. This will help you feel better when you arrive.
- Minimize blue light exposure – For the few days surrounding your travel, keep exposure to blue light from screens to a minimum before bed. That includes all devices with a screen, so it’s a good idea to shut off your laptop, tablet and phone a few hours before you want to hit the hay.
- Schedule some outdoor time – Spending time in the sunlight helps regulate your body clock. So make an effort to get outside and take a walk or jog during the day. When you return, you’ll feel energized after the sunlight gives you a natural boost.
- Create a pre-bedtime routine – Spend a few minutes winding down before you sleep. Take your time drinking a cup of herbal tea or reading a book. With a peaceful routine, you’ll have no trouble falling asleep at the right time.
Adjusting to a new time zone can be daunting, but with some effort and commitment, you can quickly adapt. Follow these strategies and you’ll soon be feeling comfortable in your new routine.
Soon, you’ll be able to travel the world without missing a beat or suffering from jetlag. With these time zone tactics in mind, you can seize every moment of your journey without sacrificing your comfort or work schedule. Happy travels!
