Tried and true methods for avoiding jet lag?

13 years ago

If you have any, please share! I'll be flying to the UK in about a month and am really dreading the flights over and back. Oh, I've done it before ... which is exactly why I'm dreading it. I don't enjoy flying, for one thing. For another, we're taking an overnight flight over there, which we've done before, and even though I attempt to sleep on the way over I never can, and always arrive feeling so out of sorts and spacey. If anyone has successfully overcome jet lag - or can even give me advice on how to sleep in coach class (ugh) on a Transatlantic flight, please do share.

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Comments (16)

Oakley
13 years ago
Can you get a small prescription for Xanax? I can't take the sleeping meds, I get those weird side effects you hear about on the news, lol, but I do take one xanax before bedtime and it knocks me right out. Plus it will calm your nerves. :)
chispa
13 years ago
Only way to avoid it is to stay home!!! I try to keep my own schedule on a plane and avoid their food. I don't sleep well on planes, even in business/first class. Getting a good rest on the flight is also influenced by the flight crew and fellow passengers. On some flights the pilots never seem to shut up!

I never take a nap at the new location. Always stay up till after dinner to get on their schedule. Plan on not doing much on your first day and don't feel guilty about it.

My last crazy trip was from Asia to South America, 38 hours door to door. Luckily I was able to upgrade to bus/first most of the way, but I was a zombie when I arrived at my destination.
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nicole__
13 years ago
On one long flight....we went to the back of the plane and there were rows of empty seats. :0) We layed down and slept!!!

But on another....to Fiji, we stayed awake. Arrived at noon, checked in by 1pm....then jogged 5miles into town....stayed up until 9pm so our bodies were on their schedule....that worked!

Have a great trip!!!!!
Sueb20
13 years ago
We just try to sleep as much as possible (Tylenol PM is enough for me, usually) on the flight, and plow through Day One without a nap, going to bed early but not ridiculously early (I think when we were in Italy last year, we were all tucked in bed at 8 pm), and usually the next day is OK.
maire_cate
13 years ago
My brother flies all the time for business. He just came back from a 10 day trip to Australia, Taiwan and China. He was home for a week and then flew to Vancouver and Mexico. I asked him how he manages the jet lag and he said that after 20 years of doing this he takes a sleeping pill the first night and does his best to adapt to the new time zone without napping during the day.
tinam61
13 years ago
I would try to read that night on the flight and hopefully get sleepy. I would not resort to drugs (Oakley do you take Xanax nightly???)other than maybe a tylenol pm - or just a plain benedryl - which is the sleep aid in tylenol pm. Limit your caffeine that day and as other said - plow through the next day without napping. Hopefully you will adapt to the different time. I don't envy you!

tina
terezosa / terriks
13 years ago
I've never tried it, but a portable light therapy light box like this one is supposed to be helpful. I have found that I don't have much trouble adjusting to the time in the new place, but have more trouble adjusting back to my home time zone.
folkvictorian
13 years ago
Auntjen, I don't think you're going to be able to avoid it, especially since you say you don't like to fly in the first place. So I'd suggest you send your pre-paid tickets to me. Then you can spend your vacation time at my house in Wisconsin, in the cold, clammy, windy, muddy month of March. Not a single minute of jet lag! All the fine Wisconsin cheeses, ice-cold milk and maple syrup you can eat! You can use our computer to view photos of London, Yorkshire, the Lake District, and all sorts of beautiful English scenes and not have the pain and expense of waiting in line to buy train tickets. Give it some thought and let me know, ok? Thanks!
User
13 years ago
Here's what works for me - On the night before traveling, stay up as late as you can. Get up early on the day you travel. Stay up all day and then head to the airport. That way, you will be tired when you get on the plane. As soon as food service is done, get the blankie, turn off the light, close your eyes and zonk out!

When you get to England, I hope you have a light day. Allow yourself a 1-2 hr nap during the day. DO NOT nap longer! Stay up until 10pm that night. Sleep a solid night and the next day you will be raring to go!

Coming home, you probably won't sleep on the flight - assuming you leave England late afternoon/early evening. Don't bother trying because your body won't be ready to sleep. Arrive and stay up until as close to your regular US bedtime as possible. Yes, you'll be exhausted. Go to bed, sleep til you wake up and then you should be over the jet lag.

I would not take drugs, as mentioned don't drink caffeine that day, don't drink alcohol on the plane, get a window seat and lean against it. That's worked for me on about 12 overseas trips. And I'll be doing this again in May!
pjtexgirl
13 years ago
I've been on a couple 17 hour flights. I noticed that dehydration on planes is a real issue. The right way to dehydrate is to drink lots of WATER, no sugar,fake sugar,caffeine, or alcohol, for two weeks ahead at least. Avoid junk food and eat a lot of veggies and fruit as well. Rest up if possible the day before and after you get on the plane.This includes short naps during the day. Start packing as early as possible to reduce stress.
lizzard2you
13 years ago
For overnight flights I always have a drink (or two) at the lounge and then take a Tylenol PM after boarding. Makes me ready to sleep as soon as the meal is over. Do try to stay awake as long as possible when you arrive at your destination.

Enjoy your trip!
hhireno
13 years ago
My sister takes Melatonin to help her fall asleep on flights. I haven't tried it yet but she swears by it.

Definitely stay hydrated with water.

Depending on times of your flights, you might want to eat before you board the plane so that you can try to sleep right away, instead of waiting until they finish food service (of mediocre food). I did that on my last trip to Switzerland and I was able to get an extra hour of rest using the eye shade the provide. (On my last trip, my seat mate was 6'9"! And they bumped him from another flight and did not assign him a row with more leg room, as he had on the earlier flight. They wouldn't even try to help him change seats. That poor squished man didn't get any rest and probably needed to see an orthopedist about his knees once we landed.)

In case you, or your Mom, might need rest, if you can limit a nap to 1 hour then I say go ahead and take a nap. I've done it both ways: a brief nap and trying to stay awake as long as possible. I think napping, or not, depends on the length of the flight and how much rest you were able to get during the flight.
amysrq
13 years ago
When I am changing time zones, I start to shift my schedule forward every day by an hour for as long at is it feasible. I try to get up and go to bed an hour earlier each day so that I will have already started the shift.

Food is a big signal for our bodies about where we our in our day. Try to only eat when you would normally be eating at your destination that last day and onboard the plane. I actually had the attendants save our dinners for us and we had a big meal in the morning after we woke up on a 13 hour flight. (That was First Class...not sure if I would even try it in coach, which is where we usually fly.) I never ever ever eat the meal they serve for "dinner" on an overnight flight.

I have taken Ambien to sleep. I also have had a glass of wine and a plate of pasta to knock me out. Really good earplugs, a memory foam eyeshade (Brookstone) and my own blanket are essential. I like to bring a special roll-aboard I bought specifically because it works as an ottoman for my short legs.

Staying hydrated for those last few days is a good idea because you won't want to be drinking water or waking up to pee while you're sleeping. Needless to say, be careful what you eat at the airport.

When we arrive, we always do some kind of physical activity like go for a long walk, visit a park, or an outdoor sculpture garden. I think it is important to stay outside. I do not agree with the advice to take nap, even a short one. I think it makes sense to push through if you can.

I often find I need help with sleep for a few days after I have arrived and continue to have the Tylenol PM or Ambien around, just in case. Just because you've gotten through Day One doesn't mean it's over!
begoniagirl
13 years ago
After touring in a pop singer's backup band for 35 years, I'm here to say that is is no easy way to get over jet lag. Our group has tried all the tricks and recommendations through the years and nothing has really ever worked for anyone. It's generally thought that it takes one day for each hour of time difference to feel completely back to normal.
Auntgen, hope it's really true that you're going to Yorkshire and the Lake District,which are two of my very favorite spots, especially Thirsk, home of James Herriot. Have a great trip. Your joy and attitude in sightseeing will overcome your jetlagged feelings.
We fly to New Zealand from SoCal this weekend to start a tour so I feel your pain.
yayagal
13 years ago
Don't eat anything salty for three days before the flight and drink lots of fluids. Wear loose clothing so you'll feel like you're comfortable enough to rest. If there's a row with the entire two or three seats empty, go to it, snuggle up and pretend you're sleeping. Start counting backwards from 300 and generally you will doze off.
IdaClaire
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks so much for all of the very helpful advice! Sounds like much of this is just common sense, although it never hurts to be reminded to eat and exercise well in the days/weeks leading up to a trip. It seems like I almost always come down with a cold after flying, so am hoping that staying as healthy as possible beforehand will perhaps strengthen my antibodies to fight off whatever's up there in that "big tin can". Am currently fighting a touch of the flu - or really bad cold - and definitely want to be rid of it before my trip.

I'm personally not keen on the idea of taking drugs to help me sleep. I've tried Ambien and will never take that stuff again. I don't even like the way things like Tylenol PM make me feel after I wake up either - the grogginess lingers too long with me. Will definitely take measures to stay properly hydrated while on the flight (although combined with nervousness/excitement, that undoubtedly means I'll be up peeing half the flight - ugh).

I've ordered a cool-looking travel pillow that supports the head and goes cross-body, so it's got a bit more support than one of those little half-donut things you see a lot of people wearing. Will definitely pack earplugs, slippers for my feet, and follow recommendations here about when/what to eat.

Begoniagirl, we'll actually be spending most of our time in the Cotswolds. Really looking forward to this trip - once we get the "getting there" part out of the way!

Tried and true methods for avoiding jet lag?

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Oakley

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Tried and true methods for avoiding jet lag?

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