Handling Jet Lag & Time Change

When you go on vacation, whether it is for 2 weeks or for a few months, there is always that excitement about where you’re going. All the exciting things you are going to see, do, and eat (hey! Some of us really like food). Two of the biggest challenges people don’t always think about is jet lag and handling the time change. The worst is getting to your destination and feeling cruddy from lack of sleep the entire trip.

We have both flown to South Africa, South East Asia, Mexico and parts of Europe, every single time battling jet lag and time change. Heck! We even battle time change going East or West in Canada, or going to parts of the States (Vegas baby!). No matter where you go, you want to enjoy your time away.

Some people handle jet lag and time change really well, while others don't. Here are some tricks we use when we travel.

Tip #1 Book A Night Flight

When we book our flights, we aim for one that leaves during the night and arrives at some point during the day at our destination. Not only are these flights normally cheaper, but they also allow us to sleep on the plane and have some energy when we arrive. Sleeping also makes the flight go by faster.

Ryan will put in his headphones, pull down his hat, put on his sunglasses, and fall asleep. I use an eye mask instead of sunglasses (I find it to be more comfortable), turn my scarf into a blanket, and put on my neck pillow. Unlike Ryan I do not put in earplugs or headphones. On some flights they will serve meals, at these points we do wake up usually to eat, have some water, go to the bathroom, and to stretch.

Arriving at your destination during the day makes it easier to figure out what's going on, find your accommodations, and settle into your trip.

Tip #2 Take A Nap

It is okay to take a break midday and have a nap. A lot of countries this is perfectly normal. They get up early and do things all morning, take a nap during the hottest part of the day, and then resurface at night when it is cooler out.

It doesn’t matter if you nap in your room or on the beach, just make sure it isn’t a long nap. We only do an hour max, this way we will still be tired when it’s time to go to sleep.

Tip #3 Eat A Good Meal

We always make sure to have a good, healthy meal before we leave and when we arrive at our destination. Even if the air plane meals aren’t the best, at least we know we had healthy food before we left.

When you arrive at our destination, if it is around mealtime, even if you’re not hungry, it's important to eat something. Even just a small snack will work.

Tip #4 Drink Lots Of Water

After any flight I tend to feel a bit dried out and just thirsty. During the flight they offer meals, snacks, and beverages. I tend to avoid coffee/tea and alcohol.Normally I pick water, juice, or both. Yes, you can ask the flight attendant for one of each! However we both tend to keep a full water bottle with us as well (once we are through airport security) on the flight.

Once at our destination we both look for water and a good cup of coffee/tea, this wakes us up and gives a nice little boost of energy.

Tip #5 Try & Stay Awake Until 9 pm

I struggle with this one sometimes, but it does help. Try and stay awake until at least 9 pm your first night. This will help you sleep through the night, and adjust quicker to the time change.

Tip #6 Melatonin

If you are still struggling with adjusting, we found melatonin can help with that. During our trip to Greece, Ryan really struggled with the time change. Talking to our family back home, they suggested melatonin. Sure enough this was the answer (thank goodness). Melatonin is a hormone your body makes when it is getting ready to sleep. Making the time adjustment from 7 or 12 hours ahead or behind, your sleep cycle can get messed up. Taking melatonin 30 minutes before you go to sleep will help reset this.

Tip #7 Get Up At A Decent Time

I know, you are on vacation! All you want to do is sleep in, take your time and relax. Trust me if you sleep past 9 am, you are not doing yourself any favours. Especially when you are trying to adjust to a time change. The later you sleep the harder it will be to sleep at night. For the first couple of days, I am sorry to say this, setting an alarm for 9 am and getting up is worth it.

Tip #9 Exercise

Just so we’re clear I do not mean this in the traditional sense of going to the gym. Get up and go for a swim in the ocean or pool. Go for a walk around the place you are staying, see the sights. Moving your body will help tire yourself out for when it’s nighttime. It is a win win, you see the sights, you are exercising, and you will sleep better. This will help Combat the jet lag and time change you are battling.

No matter where you are going or for how long the point is to relax and enjoy your time away. I hope you enjoy your next trip! Cheers!

**Please note that all opinions and views expressed in this post are my own, from my own experiences. If you would like to see more pictures follow me on Instagram vikki.gray

This post is edited by E.Gray Editing. (https://www.egrayediting.com )**