Time is limited: You have three weeks for your long-planned vacation at your dream destination.

Of course, you want to make the best use of them and not spend a few days getting used to the time change and spending more time in the hotel than among the country and its people for the duration of the jet lag.

You don’t have to. Instead of resting after arriving in Thailand, Australia, or California, follow my helpful tips and enjoy your trip to the fullest from day one.

With a time difference of two hours or more, especially for those heading east, jet lag is your constant companion. Day and night shift and your biorhythm gets pretty confused.

The more time zones you cross and the more stopovers you have, the worse it gets.

Jetlag Symptoms

According to studies, around two-thirds of people suffer from typical jet lag symptoms as soon as they cross more than three time zones by plane.

The rest have, at best mild or no problems at all. The type and severity of jet lag symptoms vary from person to person. Typical jet lag symptoms include:

• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbances
• Dizziness
• Concentration problems
• Headache
• Irritability
• Loss of appetite
• Digestive problems
• Mood swings

Adjust your time rhythm already in advance

Get your body used to the new time zone a few days before departure: before flights to the east, go to bed earlier than usual; conversely, stay up longer before flights to the west.

Shift your sleeping and rising times by one hour each day so that your body clock is already approaching the time of your destination.

Adjust your watch to the new time zone

Your changeover to the new time zone should begin on the plane, so you can at least get used to the new rhythm mentally. Since jet lag develops mainly in your head, you can gain some control with the early clock change a little better.

So as soon as you’re on the plane, set your watch to the new time you’ll find at your destination, and stay awake for a while if it’s still daytime there.

Most of the time, the plane will also make sure that the lights are dimmed, for example, when it’s time to sleep at your destination, even though it may still be completely sunny outside.

Drink plenty of water, but avoid alcohol and caffeine!

Drinking plenty of fluids is essential when flying. The air in an airplane is usually quite dry, and you often notice that the skin tightens because the body is dehydrated. 

So always take a glass of water in between flights to keep your water balance at a healthy level.

Alcohol, on the other hand, is poison above the clouds. You may think that a glass of red wine will help you sleep – it might – but the effect is short-lived, and it dries your body out even more and does even less to help you adjust to the new time zone later.

Coffee or black tea is also not really advisable for the same reason. So instead, opt for water and juices!

Follow the time schedule of your destination

Try to live according to the new day-night rhythm right after landing. This is because daylight helps your biorhythm adjust the most.

In the west, stay up even if you are tired. In the east, go to bed earlier instead.

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Lots of sunlight and fresh air or completely dark

Sunlight inhibits the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, which makes you feel tired. So declare war on this villain and soak up the daylight outside while you can.

Fresh air will also benefit your body after a long flight with dry air. This way, you’ll manage to overcome your fatigue and stay awake easier!

If you have trouble falling asleep, you should definitely not fight your jet lag with sleeping pills! They only work in the short term and will only mess up your body even more.

Try natural remedies as an alternative: Darken your room, put on a sleep mask, or use earplugs. All of these can help your body calm down and shut down. You may also find it helpful to listen to quiet music or fall asleep to an audiobook – you know your body best!

Carbohydrates or protein – depending on your destination

As on the ground, carbohydrate-rich food tends to make you heavy and tired. So if you’re flying east, dig in. Rice, potatoes, pasta, or even a burger during a layover will increase your need for sleep, and you’ll likely fall asleep satiated.

If you’re flying west, you’ll want to stick more to light, protein-rich foods, which will help you stay awake. Meat, fish, or eggs will fill you up but won’t weigh you down unnecessarily. This way, your body can devote all its energies to staying awake.

Take it easy during the first couple of days

Easily digestible, carbohydrate-rich foods in small portions can promote sleep.

Relaxation techniques such as autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness exercises such as the body scan are better than sleeping pills.

In the first few days, it’s best to take some time to slowly get used to the new environment and time zone. After a long-haul flight across nine time zones, a rest period of at least two days is advisable.

Don’t underestimate this; listen to it if you’re feeling floppy and tired. You don’t have to jump into the adventure and start a hike immediately – a short walk will do for now.

Staying in your own rhythm for a trip of fewer than 48 hours

If you are only staying in the destination country for a short time (one or two days), do not try to change your internal clock. Instead, maintain your normal rhythm – if the reason for your trip allows it.

Otherwise, you’re putting your body through a lot until your body clock has synchronized twice with the new and old local time.

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