Farewell to jet lag: the ultimate guide to long haul holidays

If you want to make the most of your winter sun holidays in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico or India, there are a few things that can help reduce the impact of jet lag. Jet lag is the disruption of your circadian rhythm or your internal clock that tells you to stay awake during the day and sleep at night. Symptoms include fatigue, insomnia, headache, disorientation, anxiety, irritability, difficulty concentrating, indigestion, dehydration and impaired coordination. Flying east (e.g. from Europe to India) usually leads to a more severe jet lag than flying west (e.g. from Europe to Florida or Mexico), because it is easier to lengthen your day, which is what you do when you travel westward.

If you’re young, fit and healthy, your body will naturally adjust to time zone changes at a rate of one hour a day. This means that it takes at least a week to recover from jet lag symptoms if you fly across seven time zones. Fortunately, there are several strategies to speed up the process an alleviate jet lag symptoms.

Pre-flight preparation

Make sure you have had plenty sleep before you leave and avoid stress. If you’re tired or stressed to begin with, your jet lag is going to be worse. It also helps to shift your sleep schedule by a couple of hours in the right direction if you can. For example, if you are flying eastward, try to go to bed as early as possible for two to three days beforehand. A great way to reduce stress and prepare your body for adjusting to a new time zone is by
exercising regularly.

During the flight

Go teetotal during your flight. Alcohol has a dehydrating effect and disturbs your sleeping patterns, and being at a high altitude tends to multiply these effects. Even if you drink a single glass of wine while flying, your hangover is likely to last for days. Drink plenty of water and eat lots of fruit and vegetables instead and try to take a nap whenever you feel
sleepy. Wearing an eye mask, earplugs and a travel pillow around your neck can
help induce sleepiness.

After arrival

Force yourself to adjust to the local time as soon as possible. That includes having dinner when the locals are having dinner, even if you feel more like a bowl of breakfast cereals. There are some common tricks that will help you reset your circadian clock, such as drinking coffee and getting as much sunshine as possible when you’re meant to be awake and taking Valerian tablets or the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin when it’s time to go
to bed. Other over-the-counter drugs that help with alertness or insomnia can be helpful as well. If you’re really knackered in the morning or afternoon, it’s best to allow yourself a power nap or siesta. In that case, it’s best to set your alarm clock to make sure your short nap won’t exceed 30 minutes.