How To Deal With Jet Lag and Long Flights
Hey y'all! I hope all of you had a great weekend! We are at the final head of a heat wave and thank god for that because we have been having to keep Blue inside because of how hot it is and he is not liking it at all. But I have been able to take him out later at night when the sun has gone down and let him run around and get all of his energy out so thank god for that. How do y'all deal with your dogs and the high heat that has been going on?
It is no secret that nobody likes dealing with jet lag when they travel and you certainly don't like missing out on any part of your trip because of what the time change does to your body. As I have gotten older and started traveling to places with different times, I have come upon jet lag in some pretty severe ways and realized that I needed some things to help me overcome it. So as I have been traveling so much in the last few years, I have picked up on some tips and tricks for how to handle jet lag and long flights and thought I would share them with you today.
P.S. Hope y'all enjoy the funny pictures of us sleeping on the planes and in cars!
1. Have enough sleep before you leave for your flight-- Sleep deficit will make your jet lag worse so I always try to get a good night sleep before I hop on a long flight.
2. Fly into wherever you are going in the morning or later in the evening-- I have always been told that it is easier to fly in and be at your destination in the morning time, so you have all day to get yourself adjusted and can start walking around and exploring, or later at night so you can just go ahead and go to bed.
3. Sleep on the plane-- This is a give in if you are on a long flight and want to hit the ground running wherever you are going. Sleeping on the plane may not be the most comfortable but it sure will prove handy when you land. If you are comfortable with it, I would suggest taking a small dose of melatonin that you can buy from your pharmacy that will help you fall asleep and stay asleep a little easier.
4. Have a good meal before getting on the plane-- This has been passed down to me by my dad, the expert traveler, because you never know if the flight is going to have in-flight meals or snacks as well as it will prove you good to have a good meal in you when you get off the plane!
5. Avoid alcohol and caffeine-- It’s not the sleep imbibing drug we all think it is. Alcohol will keep you awake and when you combine it with the jet lag haze it can get nasty. Caffeine just messes with your internal clock on a normal day. Avoid alcohol and caffeine the day of your arrival too.
6. Reserve a good seat-- If you are on a flight for 5 hours or more I would seriously suggest looking into first class or business class, whatever the plane offers. Being in these kinds of seats will allow you to have the space to stretch out, lie down and will even make a massive difference in your jet lag recovery. Here are some other tips when picking your seat: If you want more leg room, opt for exit rows; If you want to avoid crying children, stay away from the front of the plane as this is often where you’ll find special provision for babies on international flights; If you want to be able to move around the plane (or have quick access to the bathrooms) make sure you get an aisle seat.
7. Wear comfortable clothes, especially on long flights-- I am not the type of person who dresses up for flights and never will be. I dress for comfort and with the idea in mind that I am going to be in a seat, trying to be comfortable, for several hours. This will really help those long flights just with the idea of once again making sure you are comfortable.
8. Get up and walk around in whatever city or place you have traveled to-- It will prove to be super handy if you get up and walk and stretch and get that blood flowing. Trust me, this one really works!
9. DO NOT sleep at the wrong time-- No matter how tired you are when you arrive in your new time zone, you gotta put those match sticks in and stay awake. Wait until it is bed time. It’s okay to hit the hay as soon as the sun goes down, but it is best you wait till then. Help your body get used to the new time zone ASAP. If your head hits the pillow before it is time to go to bed, aka a nap, you are screwed and your next day finally in your new place will be all jacked up.
10. Expose yourself to daylight-- When you arrive at your destination get out in the sun. The sunlight will wake you up into the new time zone.
Do y'all have any other tips for how to handle jet lag and long flights? What do y'all do to handle jet lag and long flights?
I hope y'all enjoyed the funny sleeping pictures of my sister, my dad, and I! Thought that would be a funny touch and since one of us always falls asleep and someone always grabs a picture of it, why not share!
As always thank y'all for stopping by and reading! I will see y'all back here next time!
Love, D
