Master your body’s sleep-wake cycle during and after your vacation.
Vacations are that time of the year when you have the most amazing time of your life, the perfect memories in-making and… the worse jetlag.
If you are a frequent traveler to dramatic time zones, you know how tough it can be to sleep during the night and wake up like a morning bird (it’s almost IMPOSSIBLE… almost)!
But, fear not. DR is going to help you get over the jetlag and make the most of your holidays abroad.
- Make a Plan
You need to get your body used to the time zone of the place that you’re travelling to a week before your flight. If you’re going east, try sleeping earlier. If you’re traveling west, sleep a little later. This will help you sync your bedtime to the timings of the new place. Leave your home with proper rest and enough energy.
- The Flight Plan
It’s recommended that you book a transit flight so that your body gets adjusted to the new time zone gradually. But, since that can be exhausting for some people, then you can train your body and mind during the lengthy flight hours. Try to get as much as sleep as possible in the flight. This will help you be functional when you land. If you aren’t sleepy, then don’t force it because that’ll be stressful. Instead, listen to your body and try to relax.
- When in Rome, Do as the Romans do
Please ignore the time back in the country that you’re traveling from. Reset your watch and get used to the new hours. This won’t do any good and it’ll take you longer than expected to get used to the new timings. It’s a psychological thing. If you’re traveling to France, become French, already!
- Be the Early Bird who Gets the Worm
Arriving during the day time and too tired to enjoy the day? Take a 20-minutes powernap and go through your day activities. The powernaps are scientifically proven to make you more productive and make better decisions. (Don’t overdo this.) Limit long sleep hours to night.
- Your Body’s Your Diamond
Don’t let it go through harsh conditions and ruin its precious cuts. Eat sensibly, stay hydrated, avoid caffeine during the evening hours (so that it doesn’t mess up with your sleep), listen to nature (sea waves or a calm running river) to relax and sleep sooner and take a hot bath before bedtime to make you sleepy. Take care of your body.
Additionally, if you’re a frequent flyer, we suggest that you see your physician who can provide you with professional advice on sleep medicine.