How to Beat Jet Lag
Jet Lag tips
The tiredness you feel is your body's reaction to crossing time zones, and contributing factor is the stress of travelling in general.
What you need to do is reset your internal clock. So find out how to beat jetlag on your next holiday, according to Lonely Planet's Book of Everything.
Before You Go
1. Try to shift your sleep pattern. Go to bed one hour earlier or later depending on which direction you are flying – but no more than one hour per night – for as many time zones as you are going to cross (or as many as you can manage).
2. If you are going on a really long flight (for instance, from Australia to Europe) take melatonin for 2-3 days before the trip. Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone that occurs naturally in your brain and it controls the body's daily rhythm. You can buy it without prescription. It is available up to 3mg, but a lower dose (0.5mg) has been found to have the same effect. So less is better.
3. Ginger tea is thought to be a good way to counteract jetlag. Here's a quick recipe:
• Boil water.
• Grate two teaspoons of fresh ginger (much better than powdered ginger) into a cup.
• Add boiling water.
• Allow to steep for five minutes.
Ideally you should drink it at the start of your trip, an hour before you take off, but often that's not possible. Instead, you might take a small piece of fresh ginger to chew on the plane – but beware, it's hot and spicy!
On the Plane
1. Go to sleep as soon as possible. Wear loose clothing, a mask and earplugs.
2. Don't take sleeping pills. They will interfere with your sleep pattern when you arrive at your destination.
3. Don't drink alcohol or coffee. They dehydrate you and that emphasises the effects of jetlag, because your body is stressed by being dried out. Just drink water.
When You Arrive
1. Flying east or west, stay up until it's bedtime wherever you are.
2. Walk around in the sun. If you must nap, make it for now more than an hour.
3. If you flew eastward, take a low dose of melatonin for three nights before bed. If you flew westward, and find yourself waking up early the first morning there, take a low dose of melatonin. In general, the time it takes for your body to adjust is one day for every time zone you've crossed. You may not have time for that!
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advisor/how-to-beat-jetlag/story-e6frfqfr-1226536058966#ixzz2H4M14iEE
Other TRAVEL TIPS
Compare prices across lots of sites for flights and accommodation
The tiredness you feel is your body's reaction to crossing time zones, and contributing factor is the stress of travelling in general.
What you need to do is reset your internal clock. So find out how to beat jetlag on your next holiday, according to Lonely Planet's Book of Everything.
Before You Go
1. Try to shift your sleep pattern. Go to bed one hour earlier or later depending on which direction you are flying – but no more than one hour per night – for as many time zones as you are going to cross (or as many as you can manage).
2. If you are going on a really long flight (for instance, from Australia to Europe) take melatonin for 2-3 days before the trip. Melatonin is a sleep-inducing hormone that occurs naturally in your brain and it controls the body's daily rhythm. You can buy it without prescription. It is available up to 3mg, but a lower dose (0.5mg) has been found to have the same effect. So less is better.
3. Ginger tea is thought to be a good way to counteract jetlag. Here's a quick recipe:
• Boil water.
• Grate two teaspoons of fresh ginger (much better than powdered ginger) into a cup.
• Add boiling water.
• Allow to steep for five minutes.
Ideally you should drink it at the start of your trip, an hour before you take off, but often that's not possible. Instead, you might take a small piece of fresh ginger to chew on the plane – but beware, it's hot and spicy!
On the Plane
1. Go to sleep as soon as possible. Wear loose clothing, a mask and earplugs.
2. Don't take sleeping pills. They will interfere with your sleep pattern when you arrive at your destination.
3. Don't drink alcohol or coffee. They dehydrate you and that emphasises the effects of jetlag, because your body is stressed by being dried out. Just drink water.
When You Arrive
1. Flying east or west, stay up until it's bedtime wherever you are.
2. Walk around in the sun. If you must nap, make it for now more than an hour.
3. If you flew eastward, take a low dose of melatonin for three nights before bed. If you flew westward, and find yourself waking up early the first morning there, take a low dose of melatonin. In general, the time it takes for your body to adjust is one day for every time zone you've crossed. You may not have time for that!
Read more: http://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-advisor/how-to-beat-jetlag/story-e6frfqfr-1226536058966#ixzz2H4M14iEE
Other TRAVEL TIPS
Compare prices across lots of sites for flights and accommodation
