Jet lag… woof. When I got back from Italy last week, I felt like I’d been run over by a bus. Not only did I catch a cold while I was there, but my return trip ended up taking about 20 hours. When I got home, allllll I wanted to do was sleep, despite knowing that the best way to cure jet lag is to simply stay awake until it’s a normal bedtime in the new timezone. But with a cold? Yeah, that didn’t happen. So last week, I experimented and found a few tips that I wanted to share with you in case you’ve got any summer travel plans coming up!
5 Tried and True Ways to Cure Jet Lag (They’ve Actually Worked for Me!)
1. Spend time in the sun
The best way to trick your body into adjusting to a new timezone is with daylight! This all depends on what time you arrive at your destination, but if you can, try to go outside and see the sun. Alternatively, you can use a light therapy lamp, but if you’re traveling you may not have the room in your luggage for that!
2. Move your body
As much as it sucks when you’re tired and travel weary, exercising is a great way to stay awake and help your sleep cycle reset. It also helps to reduce the risk of blood clots in your legs after y†ou’ve sat on the plane for an extended period of time. I’m not saying you have to go to a spin class immediately upon landing though! A leisurely walk is a great way to stay awake, get the blood moving, and explore your new surroundings. I was really grumpy when I landed and Sean wanted to take the dogs for a walk. Afterwards, however, I was grateful because I did notice that I felt a bit better.
3. Take your vitamins
Whenever I travel, I always boost my Vitamin C intake to help me get sick (although, clearly that didn’t work this time!). Vitamin B-12 has been shown to help energize your body naturally. Also, Vitamin D (aka what you get from the sun!) is a great supplement to that’s been known to be related to your body’s natural melatonin levels.
Read more about my experience with personalized supplement subscriptions, too.
4. Melatonin
Speaking of supplements… melatonin is a proven way to help you naturally fall asleep, especially if you’re suffering from jet lag. My personal favorite are these OLLY Restful Sleep Gummies. They taste sooo good and contain other ingredients to help you sleep like chamomile and L-Theanine. Using melatonin to cure jet lag is a great help if you’ve landed at night and find yourself wide awake!
5. Stay hydrated
This is true for daily life basically. But it bears repeating when you’re traveling! Flying can be very dehydrating and I always find that I never drink enough water, even when I’m being really aware. Sometimes I even feel nauseous when traveling, so staying hydrated is an all-around great way to combat the jet lag.
What other tips should I try next time I’m jet lagged?? Leave a comment and let me know!
Also, looking for more wellness and self-care posts? Check out these:
- All About CBD
- What is the Deal with Celery Juice?
- All About Adaptogens
- How Lighting Can Help You Sleep Better
