Time to reset

I rarely suffer from jet lag when I am traveling somewhere. I think that the excitement and anticipation does a great job of masking the the delirium. Its also entirely possible that I then suffer a double whammy on the way home, because now as I reach middle age it hits me like a tonne of bricks and I am eating breakfast at lunchtime, caking my kids by each others name and getting dressed to go to bed!! Here are some tips to mitigate the worst effects of Jet-lag.

Drink water, obviously

Jet lag is partly a result of dehydration (loss of body water and electrolytes like sodium). This dehydration starts on your airplane voyage. As airplane cabins are commonly pressurized to 6900ft above sea level, this already puts most people in deficit and they don’t even realize it. To mitigate this, drink water early and often. Carry a squirt bottle or cup of water with you always to remind yourself to drink.

Spray yourself

My favourite tip for sleeping well on an airplane is to spray rose water or a fruit extract mist on my face after I brush my teeth in the bathroom. My go to is the Tony Moly Pocket Bunny Spray or Reviva’s rosewater spray (you can find the rosewater spray at almost any Vitamin Shoppe or make your own version at home). The spray keeps my skin hydrated without making it feel greasy the way some lotions do, plus the light scent is quite soothing.

Pick your arrival time

My tip is to buy the flight tickets in a way that I arrive at the new destination in the evening. Like this, I am able to fall asleep very quickly, have a good rest, and then to wake up in the morning according to the local time.

Baby? Plan ahead

Begin to adjust your child’s nap hours and bedtime in the week before travel. While you probably can’t move entirely to your destination time zone at home, you can nudge your baby’s schedule in that direction.

Land and exercise

Travel for me has never been an excuse to skip the gym... entirely. I know I might bang on about it a little but you some yoga. The deep breathing exercises really do make a difference. I am going to post some short yoga exercises that anyone can do to help you get started. Air travel is associated with a drop in blood oxygen levels due to low cabin pressure. This can definitely leave you feeling out of it. Try deep breathing exercises to bring you back to centre.