Jet Lag Tips

Much of North America has recently started Daylight Saving Time, or Summer Time, Europe is soon to follow. As travellers we are accustomed to time changes and know all too well that a change of one hour can be enough to throw us off our game. A one hour shift isn’t that extreme; with aircraft ever increasing their range, and 16 hour flights crossing up to 13 time zones becoming more commonplace, jet lag affects many travellers and flight crews on a daily basis. So what can you do to counter the effects of jet lag?

There are many different schools of thought on how best to deal with jet lag. Jet lag is classified as a temporary sleep disorder and can be caused by differences in daily rhythm, exposure to light, meal times, and social activities occurring at different times according to one’s internal perception. If you are changing time zones on an upcoming trip; think about what the time difference is and give your body a hand by gradually adapting to that time zone. Look closely at your sleep patterns. What time is it at your destination when you are flying? Are you flying east and is it daytime where you’re going, then don’t sleep on the plane. Are you on a red-eye? Try to rest up.

Get comfortable on the plane. Getting comfortable can help you rest better on the plane. Choose your seat beforehand giving preference to seats with extra legroom, or in quieter sections of the plane. Stay away from bassinet positions, lavatories and galleys. Not only are these places with a lot of noise, often there’s a lot of foot traffic, and light spilling out of these areas which could disturb your rest.

Forego the in-flight entertainment (and bring eye-shades). If you are looking to get some shuteye on your flight, try to turn off your devices and the plane’s entertainment system at your seat at least an hour before you plan to nap. This advice applies to everyday life as well, the screens we have become accustomed to can be bright enough to prevent us from getting good sleep.

Avoid alcohol. The effects of alcohol at altitude becomes more pronounced. You tend to dry out quicker and while dehydrated you cannot sleep as easily. Trade the cocktail for a bottle of water instead. but don’t drink too much or you’ll be one of those people who has to get up and use the lav every hour.

These are just a few tips on what you can do, check back regularly for more advice.