Never Feel Jet Lagged Again: Frequent Flier Jet Lag Tips Revealed

Don’t let jet lag ruin your vacation!

We’re sharing the best jet lag tips from travel experts and frequent fliers who know exactly how to arrive at your destination feeling refreshed

Expert Jet Lag Tips to Avoid the Jet Lag Symptoms as Much as Is Possible

These practical tips from experts and frequent flyers will help you manage your body clock and beat jet lag effectively.

1. Before You Fly: How to Prevent Jet Lag

Start preparing your body before you even reach the airport for best results.

Trip Planning Strategy

My personal top recommendation that has helped me over the years.

For extremely long journeys crossing many time zones, consider breaking up your travel into smaller segments.

Plan a stopover in a country halfway to your destination and spend a night or two there, allowing your body to adjust in manageable chunks rather than one massive time zone leap.

Sleep Preparation

Adjust your internal clock gradually to minimize jet lag impact.

These tips to avoid jet lag focus on preparing your body for the time change:

• gradually shift your bedtime by 1 hour each day for several days before departure,
• ensure you’re well-rested before your journey, and
• consider splitting the time difference adjustment between departure and arrival when possible.

Physical Preparation

Your body’s physical condition plays a crucial role in how well you’ll handle time zone changes.

Tips to reduce jet lag include exercising before your flight to naturally tire your body and staying well-hydrated for 2-3 days before flying.

2. During the Flight: How to Avoid Jet Lag

What you do during your flight significantly impacts how you’ll feel upon arrival.

Time Zone Adaptation

Begin adjusting to your destination immediately.

Set your watch to your destination’s time zone the moment you board the plane and plan your sleep schedule according to your destination’s local time.

Sleep Strategies

Strategic sleeping on the plane can jumpstart your adjustment process.

Tips to get over jet lag include avoiding alcohol and caffeine which disrupt sleep quality.

Use sleep aids like eye masks, noise-canceling headphones/earplugs, and quality neck pillows to help you sleep on the plane.

3. When You Arrive: How to Get Over Jet Lag

Your actions upon arrival can dramatically speed up your adjustment.

Reset Your Body Clock

Quickly synchronizing with local time is essential.

The best cure for jet lag involves getting immediate natural sunlight exposure (if possible) to reset your body clock.

If you are tired and not near bed time, try having coffee or tea soon after landing to help stay awake, and taking a light walk.

Manage Your Daily Schedule

If you are wondering how to get over jet lag effectively, it helps to follow local patterns that signal your body to adjust faster.

Stick to local meal times even if you’re not particularly hungry.

Stay awake until at least 9pm local time and limit any naps to 20-30 minutes with multiple alarms set.

Handle Sleep Disruptions

Managing inevitable sleep issues speeds adjustment.

If you’re wondering how to beat jet lag when sleep disruptions occur, follow these strategies:

• if you wake up early (around 6am), get up and start your day;
• if you wake in the middle of the night, try returning to sleep; and
• consider melatonin supplements (with doctor’s approval)

Remember complete adjustment typically takes one day per time zone crossed.

Final Thoughts on the Best Tips for Jet Lag

Armed with these strategies, you can minimize jet lag’s impact and make the most of your travels from day one.

Check out our other helpful travel guides that will make your journey smoother:

• Flight Attendant Recommended Tips for Comfortable Flights
• What You Forgot to Pack for Your Cruise
• What to Do at the Airport

For more expert travel tips and destination advice, explore our blog where we regularly share insider knowledge to help you travel confidently.