Air travel can be a lot of fun, but also it can be very tiring. A common thing people experience after air travel is this phenomenon called jet lag. Jet lag is where your body and mind feels tired and out of sync with the local time zone. One of the causes of jet lag happens when you cross through various time zones and because of that your bodys time clock is not adjusted to the new time zone yet. So for example when you reach to your destination overseas to a new time zone, day time there maybe your late night of your home country, so your body may feel tired because it still thinks it is night time.
Having massive jet lag is not fun and actually may ruin your trip if it is not attended to properly. Here are some quick and effective air travel tips to beat jet lag.
Tip #1: Drink lots of water and avoid alcohol and caffeine on the plane
While on the plane you may be tempted with all the wide range of alcoholic and caffeinated drinks available, but do not give in on them! Reason is that these drinks will cause dehydration in your body, and especially with the dry air in the plane, this will multiply the effect. Dehydration of your body has been found to be linked with making jet lag worse! Therefore drink as much water as you can so that your body stays nice and hydrated while on the plane.
Tip #2: Sleep as much as you can on the plane
One of the easiest tricks to beating jet lag is to sleep as much as you can on the plane. This will help in adjusting your body to the new time zone difference and providing your body with ample rest. If you do have trouble sleeping on the plane, then there are various sleeping aides you can take to help you sleep. However before you start taking sleeping aides, it is best to consult your local doctor for their expert advice.
Tip #3: Dont be tempted to sleep during the day at your destination
When you arrive at your destination, usually the first two days you will feel the most jet lagged. With that you will start feeling tired during odd times of the day such as in the late morning, or late afternoon. Do not give in and sleep during these times of the day.
You must push yourself to force your body out of your old time zones and stay awake until its the evening when it is proper for a nights rest. One way to keep your body pumped up for the day is to do some regular exercises and stretches. This will help keep your blood circulating and help to keep your mind focused.
Jet lag can be a drag to your vacation. It can ruin your vacation by causing your body to feel tired and out of sync with the world. However if you follow the above three simple but effective air travel tips to cope with jet lag, then you should be able to beat it within the first two to three days of landing at your destination.
Alec Chan is a travel writer who has travelled all around Asia for the past 8 years, and has developed powerful strategies on how to get value for money in all his travel destinations. He constantly delivers informative, accurate, and insightful travel information through his travel blog.