Beating Jet Lag

What do you do to beat jet lag? I've received all kinds of advice from friends and the internet, some of it conflicting.

Everyone seems to agree on:

• Stay hydrated
• Avoid alcohol and anything caffeinated in flight
• Do eat breakfast either before landing, or immediately thereafter
• Switch your watch to your destination’s time zone as soon as you get seated on the plane

There’s outright conflict on a couple of things:

• Don’t go to sleep until bedtime at your destination

OR

• Take a short nap (no more than 90 minutes) upon arrival

 

• Use movies, a book or an IPOD to help you sleep

OR

• Avoid entertainment on the plane as it will keep you awake

Other ideas:

• Alter your eating schedule to match your destination three days before flying
• Eat carbohydrate rich foods the night before the flight
• Eat protein immediately after landing
• Don’t eat the evening meal on the plane, because it’s the middle of the night at your destination
• Fast for 24 hours before traveling and don’t eat until arrival
• Wear a large scarf or pashmina that can double as a blanket in flight, if the AC is too high
• Use noise-canceling head phones to help sleep

What works for you?

Reader’s Digest article: http://www.rd.com/living-healthy/jet-lag-and-sleep/article54848.html

Live Science article re fasting: http://www.livescience.com/health/080522-food-clock.html

Psychology Today: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201001/beating-jet-lag

CBS Early Show Video, with Dr. Jennifer Ashton http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=6680699n&tag=mncol;lst;1