One of the biggest nuisances with traveling internationally is jet lag. It’s gotten all of us at one point or another, but I travel so regularly now that I have a system down for ensuring that lengthy flights and crossing several time zones won’t hinder the first few days of my trip.
Here are my top tips for beating jet lag and getting enough sleep on flights to be well-rested and ready to take on a new country.
→ After landing in whichever country you’re visiting, do NOT take a nap during the day, no matter how tired you are. I have always found it best to force myself to stay awake for the remainder of that day before falling asleep early if needed (but at a still somewhat reasonable bed time). I never make extensive plans for the arrival date and prefer having a relaxing first day – no need to go on a 10-mile hike when you’re already running low on energy. Staying awake ensures that you can become quickly acclimated to the local time by going to bed during their evening hours which should hopefully allow you to wake up the next day ready to go. The only times I have ever truly had issues with jet lag are when I have taken naps (yes, even short power naps) immediately after arriving in a country which then throws off my entire sleep schedule.
→ If you do not plan on eating the first meal served on a red eye flight, try not to fall asleep until AFTER they bring dinner through the cabin shortly after takeoff. The airlines that I’ve flown with for international flights have all woken me up for the initial meal service if I fall asleep too soon, which is unfortunate as they typically never provide anything meeting my dietary restriction anyways (which does not bother me in the slightest – I don’t expect them to accommodate every single restriction in the world. I pack my own food and snacks). Though I’ve been told from various flight attendants that they themselves would not wake someone for a meal service, I believe it to be much more common for lengthy flights because there are very few opportunities to eat outside of the initial and final meal services (and you will likely get hungry while sitting in your seat for a longgggg time). I’m sure different airlines have different policies regarding this, but I personally have never not been woken up if it is an 8+ hour flight. For this reason I’ve found it easier to wait until after they finish the service and turn the lights in the cabin back off. Of course, if you’re planning on eating the meal it would be beneficial to stay awake regardless.
→ This is likely obvious, but you can take melatonin or something with similar benefits if you generally have issues falling asleep on flights. In the past I would take Dream Water with me on long flights which is a natural blend of GABA and melatonin and can be found in a lot of American airports in both liquid and gummy forms. Recently I started using Chewsy Peaceful Sleep chewables instead after picking them up at a Whole Foods around a year ago, and I have been buying them ever since. Although you can purchase a 30 count container of these, I would recommend just buying the 6 count bag because you should only take one on a single flight. There are plenty of other similar products on the market, so choose something that you have confidence will help you fall asleep if you struggle on flights like most of us do. Although it can be difficult, getting sleep on a flight is key for being able to stay awake for the full first day in a new country.
(These products are not sponsored – I have been using them both long before I began a travel blog).
→ If you are taking a red eye flight, prepare for it as you would typically prepare for bed by brushing your teeth, doing your skin care, or anything else you might need to help you feel ready before boarding. I find that I am always able to fall asleep more easily if I feel like I’m actually getting ready to go to bed. However, make sure you don’t do your skincare while on-board the plane as applying moisturizing products in the dry and reticulated air may actually dehydrate your skin. Here is an article by Anna Fryxell about this phenomenon that explains it in more detail.
Of course, everyone’s bodies are different and what works for me might not work for you, but I haven’t experienced jet lag for roughly 3 years now even with constant international travel. These methods for falling asleep on flights and beating jet lag work well for me and hopefully they will for you too!
