How to Beat Jet Lag
Oh hey, guys! I've been a little MIA on social media lately. I was on a whirlwind week-long vacation to Iceland, Finland and Brussels, which was AMAZING! Then hopped straight into work travel as soon as I got back. Definitely not very well planned on my part. I've been a little exhausted the last few weeks and thinking about being tired well before my trip. Who else puts together a game plan on how to avoid jet lag when headed on a big trip? Definitely me! I always want to do all of the things on vacation, so there's no time to feel sluggish. Here are a few things I found to help with jet lag, and I'm also sharing some photos from my trip.
Get some rest right before you leave. It might sound a little obvious, but if you're already exhausted, it's going to have an extra tough time adjusting to a new time zone.
Relax and catch a few zzz's on your flight. Easier said than done for most of us. If you're one of those people that can sleep anywhere, including planes, you have an incredible superpower. For the rest of us who struggle sleeping sitting up in cramped quarters, I found a few things that help me with jet lag because your girl here is ballin' on a budget in economy and lay flat beds are out of the question.
Noise-canceling headphones. They indeed are worth the investment to drown out all of the background noise in the cabin.
A travel pillow with a flat back. There's nothing worse than having your head pushed forward, trying to nap and then waking up with a kink in your neck.
A silky smooth eye mask to shut out all of the light. I was a skeptic until I was on a 14+ hour flight to Asia a few years back. I was amazed by how well it worked.
Get cozy friends! Blankets, favorite sweatshirt, slippers, or whatever gives you the warm fuzzies. That airplane seat won't magically transform into a comfortable king-sized bed, but you can do your best to pretend. Okay, not even close to your cozy bed but let's do our best to work with what we have.
Put on a movie you've seen a million times or a relaxing soundtrack. It'll help your brain and body shut off.
Even if you only catch a few hours of sleep on your flight, some shut-eye is better than none, and you'll be ready to take your vacation head-on.
Don't nap. You may tell yourself all you need is a quick 30 minutes to recharge the batteries, but then you doze off for eight hours and all the sudden it's midnight. A day wasted, and you've done nothing to help your body adjust to the new time zone.
Avoid sugar and caffeine. It may seem like the quick and easy solution for energy, but the crash will leave you more tired and cranky than you already were. Instead, drink lots of water, eat some veggies (or grab a green juice) to pump your system full of vitamins/nutrients and take a stroll around town. Exercise and fresh air will do your body wonders.
Hit the hay at your regular bedtime. Get yourself on your normal schedule as soon as possible. It'll help trick your body into thinking that you didn't just hurl yourself through several time zones. Try not to dwell on what time it is back home but rather what the local time is.
Aromatherapy spray. My hotel in Brussels left me the cutest little bottle of This Works Deep Sleep Pillow Spray. I've never been a fan of essential oils, but I gave it a whirl. I fell asleep quicker than I usually fall asleep and woke up refreshed. I'm a believer in the powers of aromatherapy.
Most importantly, listen to your body. We all react differently to the time change and jet lag. You're on vacation to relax and enjoy yourself, so do exactly that!
What are some of your favorite tips and tricks for beating jet lag? I would love to hear them! Share them here or on Instagram with #EatDrinkWanderlust
