3 Simple Tips to Getting Over Jet Lag as Quickly as Possible

One of the biggest shocks after finishing your first long-haul flight is the jet lag that comes after it. Jet lag happens when your internal clock doesn’t match the time zone you’re in, and can come with feelings of nausea, digestive issues, and sleepiness. Jet lag is generally worse when you travel east, and the more time zones, the worse the symptoms. There are several things you can do to try to get over it quickly, though.

Melatonin

Melatonin is the hormone that your body releases when it expects that you’ll be going to sleep soon, and is one of the triggers to start making you feel sleepy. Often, when jet-lagged, our body is expecting to wake up while it’s the middle of the night in the country you’ve landed in, or that you’ll have to go to sleep when your body feels like it’s the middle of the day. 

Taking melatonin an hour before you want to go to sleep can help your body start the process of getting tired, allowing you to sleep for the full night and wake up on the correct time zone. Zach Attack Supplements is an excellent place to visit to find supplements to help you sleep.  

Start adjusting before you go.

If you have a few days before the trip where you can prepare, start setting your clocks to the time in the country you’re flying to, and begin transitioning before you leave. A good routine is to start adjusting around three days before you plan to leave, and go to sleep 1-2 hours later or earlier than you usually would towards the time zone you’re aiming for. 

If three days isn’t possible, then try to get at least as close to the time zone as you can the day before you leave. If you’re traveling across six time zones, try to wake up six hours earlier than you usually would. This will be tiring, but when you arrive at your location, you’ll be ready to go to sleep and wake up at the correct time.

Use lights to your favor.

Your body’s circadian rhythm is closely connected to the amount and type of light it’s being exposed to. If you expose yourself to a lot of blue spectrum light, then your body will naturally think it’s the morning or daytime and will start its internal processes of waking up. If you reduce these lights and stick to red or warm lighting, then your body will start to think the sun is setting and will get ready to sleep. 

If you need to wake up and stay awake, then the best thing to do is to find the sun or somewhere with bright lights. If you’re trying to sleep at a time that feels like the daytime to your body, start reducing the amount of blue spectrum lights around you. This includes electronic screens, which are notorious for being bad for your sleep schedule.