How to Beat Jet Lag with These Eight Easy Tricks
For those of you who have been following me for a while, you know that my lifestyle demands extensive travel across the world. I have found myself globetrotting for business meetings or just to assess some enchanting resorts at exotic destinations. The fatigue and exhaustion that comes with late-night or long-distance flights can affect your productivity upon arrival. Can you imagine descending from the aircraft straight into the boardroom? It is excruciating, to say the least. I have learned the hard way to beat the nasty aftermath of spending endless hours in these giants of aviation, and over the years, I have compiled some tips and tricks that have worked for me and helped me settle down with much ease. So without further ado, here are my 8 tips on how to recover from a long flight!
- Alter Your Sleep Pattern to Match the One of Your Anticipated Destination
Since I mostly travel on business, my ability to perform in the time zones of my destination is critical. To ensure that I fit in easily, I normally regulate my sleep pattern a day or two before travel to match that of my destination. This way I can hit the road as soon as I land, without having to deal with the gruesome effects of time zone differences. You do not want to waste a whole day feeling groggy and unproductive.
- Cheat a Little
A carb-free, gluten-cautious diet will do you no good on a long journey. Indulge in carbohydrate-rich foods to boost your insulin levels. Insulin will help your body fine-tune to a new eating-and-resting program. So grab that pizza, fries, cake, or dunkin’ donut at a fast-food restaurant on your way to or from the airport. Besides sleep deprivation, low energy levels will plunge your productivity to an all-time low. You can manage the extra calories when you settle back to your normal lifestyle.
- Resist the Urge to Nap
I know that your body is screaming for a post-flight nap, but resist it for your own good. Taking a whole cycle of sleep will leave your body more lethargic and slow. It denies your body an opportunity to regulate the local time schedules. As a result, you will find yourself sleeping when you ought to be awake and awake when you ought to be sleeping. Take no more than an hour’s nap, but only when it becomes necessary. I believe in pushing myself as it enhances my productivity.
- Put Your Feet Up
Elevate your feet not just because it feels good, but because it helps you get rid of the swelling in your legs. Remove your footwear as soon as you get to your hotel room or wherever else you are staying. Prop your feet on the bedpost or wall for about fifteen minutes. Your feet will reward you greatly for this simple exercise. One flight attendant I spoke to simplified this process by comparing it to passing tea leaves through a sieve, essentially draining all the fluid from your legs and leaving the muscle fibres less saturated.
- Use a Jet Lag Mask or Sleep Vitamin
You can depend on a high-quality jet lag mask to give your skin the much-needed vitamins, antioxidants, and ceramides to help it recover from the stress that you have been through. Give your skin some tender loving care for a radiant look.
When it comes to sleep-enhancing vitamins, nothing beats Olly Restful Sleep gummy. These proficiently blended sleep gummies activate the release of your sleep hormone and will relax your body, sending you to dreamland in record time. I have found these extremely helpful when exhaustion takes a toll on me and falling asleep becomes a chore.
- Exercise
Get blood pumping through your body. Traversing through different time zones will leave you worn-out and sore. A few minutes of workout will transport oxygen throughout your body and leave you feeling alive. Exercise increases the release of endorphins {natural pain reliever}, which makes every muscle in your body feel as good as new. It doesn’t have to be the aerobic kind of workout; 10- 15 minutes of simple exercises in your room will make you feel invigorated. Stretch exercises are especially helpful in treating lactic acid build-up associated with muscle pain.
I am a lover of the great outdoors; you will, therefore, find me exercising out in the open. The fresh air jolts my brain into action and the enhanced blood circulation gives me renewed energy.
- Keep That Water Bottle Close
You can never go wrong on this one. Aim at exceeding the recommended eight glasses per day. Sip water throughout the day to beat the awful feeling of dehydration associated with long hours of travel and jet lag. Coffee will make dehydration worse; I, therefore, advise that you keep it away for a day. Nurse your body back to optimal function by drinking as much water as possible. It’s an easy inexpensive way of keeping you productive. I add mint or lime to my bottle of water to make it more palatable.
- Treat Yourself to a Massage
What your body needs after such a tedious journey is a soothing, relaxing massage to eliminate soreness in the muscles. If an INR 7000 hotel spa is out of your range, a Chinatown ‘Massage Only’ will do. You have every reason to indulge in the goodies that this short life offers. After all, your body deserves a treat. Without it, life would be impossible.
Jet lag doesn’t have to put you down and make life unbearable. Practice these 8 tips on how to recover from a long flight, and your next flight will be an enjoyable cruise!