There’s nothing worse than arriving in a place after a long time of travelling only to be hit by a massive wave of exhaustion at 10.54am. Hello jet lag.
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Whether you’re travelling for business or on a holiday, jet lag can take some serious time for your travel. So why not hack the jet lag and make the most of your minutes in a new time zone? Here’s how:
1. For business trips of less than 48 hours, try to stay in your home time zone where possible. Make sure your hotel room has blackout blinds and take an eye mask.
2. If the trip’s for more than 48 hours, aim to adjust quickly to the new time zone and start altering your sleeping pattern in the days before you fly. Jet lag is worse going from west to east.
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3. Set your watch to destination time as soon as you board the flight and try to sleep and eat accordingly. To speed your adjustment, eat and drink lightly and lay off the booze.
4. Moderate exercise can help. Stretch and walk around the plane when you can during the flight. When you arrive, take a swim in the sea (or in a pool, second best) or go for a walk.
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5. If you arrive in daylight, stay outside to get bright natural light on your face and some fresh air. Light affects your brain’s production of melatonin, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle.
6. Once there, sleep and eat according to the destination clock, not your body clock. Avoid taking naps and whatever time you arrive, don’t sleep until night.
