Jet lag: tips to help your body overcome jet lag

Jet lag occurs when you travel between time zones and your body's normal rhythm is disrupted. This is a very common phenomenon that usually lasts for a short time.

However, this process can negatively impact your personal travel and professional commitments as your body needs time to adjust. Newsbytesapp.com has prepared five tips on how to quickly overcome jet lag.

Plan your bedtime in advance

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine advises adjusting your sleep schedule a few days before traveling. This means going to bed a few hours later than usual if you're traveling west, or earlier if you're heading east.

Your flight may be in the air when your new destination is at night, so make sure you sleep during this time.

Increase your time in the sun

A jet lag can cause drowsiness and fatigue, which leads to lower energy levels. However, when you are exposed to the sun more often, it can wake up your body from the inside out and reduce the secretion of melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep.

If you have to stay up late in a new time zone, you may be exposed to light.

Avoid alcohol and caffeinated beverages

Jet lag causes many problems with the body's natural ability to fall asleep and wake up on time. While that's a problem in itself, don't make it worse by drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages when you arrive at a new destination. Both can disrupt your sleep cycle, making it harder to adjust to the new time zone.

Stay hydrated while traveling

Consciously or not, you may cut back on your water intake while traveling to reduce the number of bathroom breaks. As a result, your body experiences additional fatigue while traveling, which can exacerbate jet lag symptoms.

Therefore, make sure you drink enough water when traveling long distances, as proper hydration can help alleviate many of the sensations that jet lag can cause.

Plan your meals properly

When traveling to a different time zone, it's important to plan your meal times properly. Eating prematurely can lead to many sleep problems. Therefore, check the time in the destination you are flying to and enjoy your meals accordingly or avoid them.

If you're still hungry, avoid large meals and have light and small snacks.

Earlier, TravelWise reported which seats on the plane you should be careful with.