5 ways to fight off jet lag

Oh, jet lag. How you come at the most inconvenient times when traveling. Stepping off the plane after a long haul flight at 8am in another country, only to be ridiculously tired and want to nap the day away. We’ve all been there, but there are ways to fight off the jet lag so you can have a great trip and not miss a thing by snoozing in your hotel room the duration of the trip.

1. Shift your schedule in advance
Make little adjustments leading up to your trip like going to bed and waking up earlier. Shifting your body clock will dramatically reduce the effects of jet lag. Another thing you can do, which might sound odd, is to eat at the times you’d eat in the other country. Adjusting your body’s normal routine will help you beat the jet lag and really enjoy your trip!

2. Avoid alcohol 
I know, I know, but hear me out. Yes, having a drink at the airport to celebrate that you’re finally going on vacation (woohoo!) is great but will also make you tired and dehydrate you. The more dehydrated you are, the worse the jet lag.

3. Walk around the airport
This might sound strange, but get your steps in before sitting on the plane for X amount of hours. Not only will you breathe a sigh of relief when you sit in those plane seats, but your body will feel tired. 

4. Know when to sleep and stay awake
This might seem like a ‘duh,’ but when you’re on your flight try to fall asleep when it’s night time in your destination and stay awake when it’s daytime there. 

5. Take short naps
If you’re struggling to keep your eyes open, take a short nap (30-45 minutes). Having enough sleep is going to be the thing that keeps your energy up but if you sleep for hours, your sleep pattern is going to be completely messed up.