How to Treat Jet Lag
While technically a disease that can be treatable, jet lag is an annoying occurrence for travelers who have passed from one time zone to another in their travels. Here’s how you can recover and treat your jet lag.
Daytime Arrival
If you’ve determined your arrival to be during the daytime, here’s how to pep yourself up and prevent yourself from falling asleep.
Have a protein-centric breakfast. Eggs, meat and leafy green vegetables are some good sources of protein. Protein will help you keep awake.
Sleep on the plane before you arrive at your destination to encourage wakefulness.
As soon as you have time, take a stroll outside in the sunlight. Sunlight helps clue in your body that it’s daytime and it’s time to be awake. The exercise will also help your body be more alert and awake.
If you’re feeling really sleepy, take a short nap. Keep in mind, you have to do it before 2:00 pm and you have to set an alarm to wake yourself up within an hour.
Drink small amounts of caffeine to help you feel alert and awake.
Go to sleep at a normal hour, like 8:00 pm or 9:00 pm. It’s highly likely that you’ll be feeling sleepy much earlier than that, try to hold it off until normal sleeping hours.
Nighttime Arrival
If you’re arriving in your destination during the nighttime, here’s how you can recover from jet lag as quickly as possible.
Eat a meal comprised of carbohydrates. Pasta, rice and starchy food like potatoes are all full of carbohydrates. Carbohydrates will help you feel sleepier.
Keep awake in the plane on your way to your destination to encourage sleepiness once you get there.
Go to sleep in the normal sleeping hour even if you’re not feeling sleepy. Encourage sleepiness by having a warm shower, drinking warm milk or a massage. Turn the lights off and keep your eyes closed until you drift off to sleep. Don’t sleep late even if you’re tempted to.
You can request for an over the counter sleeping aid if you need help in sleeping.
General Tips
You can eat small meals throughout the day as your body adjusts to regular mealtimes in the new timezone.
Keep your room cool, not cold, to make sleeping easier.
Try to keep drinking alcohol until you’ve completely adjusted to your new timezone.
Avoid driving while still adjusting to your new timezone.