Jet Lag

[911boost]

I have been traveling internationally a few times a year for about 10 years now. As I get older it seems to be getting much harder to get over the let lag.

Having spent all last week in Delhi, India, I am having a tough time getting back to my normal schedule.

I know a lot of you travel for fun and business. What kind of tricks have you learned to get past jet lag?

Bill

[cairns]

It doesn't get easier.

Just came back from the UAE flying to IAD. What I DON'T do is allow the airline to lull me to sleep by closing all the shades (easy on a 787 nowadays). I set my watch to destination time when I board and try to psych my self into that time. That means I boarded at 2AM EST and stayed awake all day (you arrive at 4PM EST). My wife, who slept on the plane, is still on Abu Dhabi time.

When I used to fly to Europe from East Coast I would go to sleep for two hours when I arrive and then force myself to get up and go to the office and stay awake until 9PM. It was hard. But by day 2 I was good.

I never used any melatonin or anything and stay away from alcohol on the plane.

[wildthing]

Always a problem for me, and I'm not a frequent traveler by any stretch. I may go from -8 to +8 every other year, and -8 to -5 maybe 2x a year. I don't know if it helps but I try to get some sunshine at my destination.

[vash]

not to hyjack.

but what is Delhi, India like?

[motion]

Try to sleep every chance you get. Even if its only for an hour. Don't deprive yourself of sleep, hoping for a good 8 hour stretch. I use half of a xanax to knock myself out on planes.

[matthewb0051]

Going from US to Europe I try to sleep as soon as the plane takes off and set my watch forward immediately. This last trip to UK from Dulles I repeated the process but it was not as good since they we landed at 5:50am and they woke us up at 4. That just hurt.

After that I always try to stay awake until around 9 and get a full night's sleep. My first ever trip I took a nap early / went to bed early and that just ruined me.

When we moved to Germany with a 9 month old my wife wanted to take him to the ER when he woke up at 3am due to jet lag. She thought something was wrong with him. I still mock her on that on 18 years later.

[JavaBrewer]

Morning arrivals = try to get sleep on plane - a couple cocktails/wine helps.
Afternoon/Evening arrivals = stay awake on plane - a couple cups of coffee as needed.

Flying California to Europe always messes me up for a couple days. Flying California to Asia doesn't.

[Jolly Amaranto]

West bound, force yourself to stay awake till early evening local time, then crash. Usually then sleep till 5 or 6 local time. East bound, force yourself to get up at 5 or 6 local time.
Someone once told me to get roaring drunk. After you recover from a whopping hangover, jet lag is a breeze. Never worked for me.

[biosurfer1]

As a high school graduation present, my grandmother took me to Europe. I had no experience with time change, let alone jet lag and it was rough.

I remember waking up, wide awake and it was dark out. I thought ok, its probably early but that wasnt too bad. Looked at the clock and it was 10:45pm. Thats when the "oh crap" started to sink in.

From then on, I go with motion's advice, little naps here and there but go to sleep at a normal hour where ever I land. There is no perfect tip or trick, only things that lessen the blow.

I've talked to Asian travelers in Vegas and one of the reason they like it so much, besides the gambling, is they can come for a vacation, stay on their time zone and not miss anything really since stuff is going on 24/7.

[Tishabet]

I spent 3 years flying back and forth Boston to Kuala Lumpur, an 11 hour difference. I was making this journey 4 or 5 times a year so got plenty of jet lag training.

In addition to cairn's advice, I would not only set my watch on the plane but would also abstain from food or alcohol for the trip (hard to do in business class) and when I got to my destination I would force myself to eat meals at an appropriate time eg land at 7am and go have breakfast, even though your body says it is time for dinner. I've found this (along with getting out in the sunshine during the day) to be the magic bullet for me, 48 hours after landing I'm good.

[group911@aol.co]

Exercise.

[Jeff Higgins]

I would force myself to stay awake until the first local natural "bedtime" that was at least one normal waking period away. In other words, if I arrived in the mid afternoon, I would stay awake through that night and the next day, then crash that evening. If I arrived in the early morning, I would hit the sack at a normal bedtime that evening. I always found it easier to stay awake, even for 36 hours or so, to get synchronized with local time. The cat naps never worked for me, although they work for lots of folks. I cannot sleep on an airplane under any circumstances - I know too many guys that work on them...

[cairns]

Morning arrivals = try to get sleep on plane - a couple cocktails/wine helps.
Afternoon/Evening arrivals = stay awake on plane - a couple cups of coffee as needed.

This.

[911boost]

Thanks guys, typically go there I am fine as I do a lot of the stuff advised here. It just seems like coming back has been worse lately.

Vash, I will pm you about Delhi.

[motion]

Originally Posted by vash

not to hyjack.

but what is Delhi, India like?

I liked it. I was surprised that it was so much nicer than Mumbai. My son and I stopped there for a few days during our round-the-world a few years ago. We hired a car and driver to take us to the Taj Mahal.

[Laneco]

When you are tired, sleep... If you arrive exhausted and drive a car half awake, you are pretty likely to be in an accident (tired, distracted looking for locations, strange place, etc). If you need a short nap in the afternoon, absolutely take it. But keep it short 15 or 20 minutes.

Going east is easy for me, going west is harder. I naturally tend to wake up very early, so resetting to eastern times is a piece of cake. I get tripped up going west... I really have no luck trying to go to bed late, simply can't stay up that long. I do try to sleep in to adjust to the later time zone. Most important thing for me seems to be when I eat. If I can adjust meal time to local meal time, my sleep time, etc., seems to fall into place quicker.

Also, I have become increasingly sensitive of blue light in my hotel room at night. I can't adjust my sleep at all if an alarm clock is casting off blue light... I cover or block everything that makes blue light. I've always been a little sensitive about this, but it is much worse now that I'm older. Not sure if its me that is more sensitive or if there is just alot more blue light "pollution" than there used to be.

angela

[Geary]

.. typically go there I am fine .. It just seems like coming back has been worse lately.

Westward travel has always been a snap for me. I believe the Eastward return is more difficult for most folks.

[wayner]

I hate being a walking sleepless zombie
I also hate having a nap and waking up feeling like crap, instead of having a full nights sleep

Ive found a cellphone sleep cycle app that monitors your movements and wakes you at the right time (not exact time, but the right time for you body)

If you want a half hour nap set it and put your phone in your pocket and it will wake you and you'll feel rested and not like crap