Sleep Doctor Shares Valuable Tips for How to Avoid Jet Lag
If you've ever flown internationally, you've felt this phenomenon: you're racing to explore a brand new destination, but first, you have to take an easy day to recover from the flight. You're exhausted and your sleep schedule is totally thrown off. You've just been hit with jet lag.
Jet lag happens to all of us flying abroad, but there are ways to alleviate it. Sleep doctor Jessica Cho (@jesschomd on TikTok) shares a few helpful tips on how she's combatting jet lag on her flight from LA to Seoul.
Honestly, the very first resource alone is a huge help. With the drastic time zone changes, it's difficult to calculate how much you'll have to adjust your sleep schedule ahead of time. This app, Sleepopolis, collates all the information you need to comfortably adjust your schedule to better adapt to time changes beforehand.
Then, of course, powering through your weariness and sticking to the rhythm of your destination will help you get back on course- no passing out for an afternoon nap, stay up till bedtime. And finally, waking up bright and early the next morning and getting that natural light is the final kick your Circadian rhythm needs to get back on schedule!
"That’s cool! I try to book my flight so I arrive in Asia late and go straight to bed when I get to the hotel. Trying this," shared Adrian- also a pretty good idea, if you can schedule that correctly. Just make sure you keep track of your sleep patterns on the flight, too.
"I’m never jet-lagged going TO Seoul from Seattle, but it hits hard on the way back!" remarked @rokwithus. That's another thing to consider: jet lag notoriously hits harder moving west to east than it does going east to west, so be mindful of that as you plan ahead.
"One of the reasons I love Qantas. They really help you avoid jet lag with their food and flight times," recommended @theblueprint415. We love that this airline is mindful of this factor- the easier it is to adjust to the new schedule, the better!
Combatting jet lag is tricky, but it can be done. Try these tips the next time you fly abroad!
