Jet Lag Tips

[JugglingMonkeys]

Hey what are your tips for avoiding/minimizing this?

here are some:
1. Upon arrival get out in the sunlight. It helps your body to figure out when it is day.
2. leave a day or two for downtime, if possible, upon arrival. After years of flying in and out of time zones i've finally started doing this. Getting old!
3. Try to fly during the day if possible, not overnight flights.
4. drink water on the flight - not alcohol or coffee.
5. have some melatonin or sleeping pills at hand - especially for the first couple nights.

[thesmoothdome]

[quote=JugglingMonkeys;18420]Hey what are your tips for avoiding/minimizing this?

here are some:

4. drink water on the flight - not alcohol or coffee.

Ok, you've just taken away 2 of the 4 basic food groups from me. What am I supposed to do?

[deepdiver47]

Originally Posted by JugglingMonkeys

Hey what are your tips for avoiding/minimizing this?

here are some:
1. Upon arrival get out in the sunlight. It helps your body to figure out when it is day.

yes, if you arrive during the day


2. leave a day or two for downtime, if possible, upon arrival. After years of flying in and out of time zones i've finally started doing this. Getting old!

can't do this during a business trip. But it is a good idea.
In general when flying east (China), lag is 2 days, flying home (Houston) its 5. Lag is much greater flying westbound.


3. Try to fly during the day if possible, not overnight flights.

Very diificult to do during a 15 hour flight from NJ to Hong Kong

4. drink water on the flight - not alcohol or coffee.

yes, critical. Hydrate makes a huge difference. Everytime water is offered, drink it.

5. have some melatonin or sleeping pills at hand - especially for the first couple nights.

3 mg will do it, try to take it late as you will get up at 2 AM, subsequently, you will be sleeping at 2 PM.


Another, of you are tired on a flight then sleep don't fel compelled to though.

[MEL-DC Diver]

Also, if arriving in the morning or afternoon, try and hold out to your normal bedtime as much as possible. A quick catnap sounds tempting, but you can easily sleep for hours which will really mess up your body clock.

As a frequent trans-pacific/atlantic traveler, this is the one rule I never waiver on.

[JugglingMonkeys]

yes, this is a cardinal rule: never nap in the afternoon! Especially in the first couple of days.

However, this is far easier said than done.

[namabiru]

If you can, business class is your friend. You can rest better on the plane, the food won't make you as sick, and it's quieter. Plus the rich people lounges are great. Better food to munch on, not so many squalling kids to deal with, and it's quieter there too.

Outside the US, they treat you better too (no surprise there). Usually the booze is just out on the counter, you help yourself, and there are better amenities.

If you can, also, shower in transit. You'll feel heaps better. Even if you have to pay to do so. But in the Lufthansa rich people lounge in Munich, that's one of the services offered.

[JugglingMonkeys]

yes, business lounges are more restful.
they come automatically with business class tickets.

otherwise i've heard that priority pass is good.

but have not tried it. may try it soon.

[Illini_Fan]

On American (and all OneWorld partners) PLT and EXPLT level get access to lounges outside of North America and certain other sites with any ticket. While I completely agree with business class -- especially on the foreign carriers, if you have to fly cattle class you can still get into the lounges if you have the status.

[JugglingMonkeys]

the top two levels of United also give lounge access on any international ticket with Star Alliance.

[namabiru]

Yeah, that's right. Star Alliance does reciprocal lounge use. If you don't have the miles, though, you still have to have the ticket to let you in. I just checked out Priority Pass, and the prices aren't bad at all. 10 visits free, then just $24 after is pretty good, when you figure how much the average person might fly, and the number of airports they visit. I may have to consider getting the pass.