I routinely fly long haul because I operate on both sides of the Atlantic.
Regardless of whether I fly economy, premium, business or first Jet lag ALWAYS catches up with me… and for a long time, it left me groggy in bed, not working to my highest potential.
But, because I have to hop across the pond so often, I’ve come up with some coping mechanisms, that well and truly work.
The old saying goes ‘East is a beast, west is the best’. I’m on board with it!
When I head to the UK from America I schedule in 6 hours sleep the day I land. I’m then up for late afternoon and immediately get myself back into my routine. In bed by 11, awake at 7:30am and stick roughly to my routine.
This non-negotiable is a necessity to keeping sane.
When I fly overnight, I rest (even if I don’t sleep).
When I fly during the day, I work half the flight because I can get so much done without my emails buzzing (No I don’t use the onboard wifi) and I spend the other half of the flight watching films or snoozing.
I DO NOT feel guilt for not sleeping on flights any more. I just schedule in for the fact that I probably won’t have got much shut eye on the flight.
If I know an overnight flight is going to be jam packed, and I’m flying alone (which is the usual), I’ll try and bag myself an upgrade to premium because of the comfier seats and leg rests.
Delta is the best airline for this, because once you hit silver tier you automatically get on the free upgrade list. Virgin, my tip is ask at check in and get a feel for price. Mull it over, and then ask again at the gate if you are OK with paying it… often you get more of a discount on the day. Just remember, there may not be any upgrades available if you leave it last minute!
Finally, drink lots of water and camomile tea on the flight.
I carry a 1L water bottle and fill it up when I get through security so I have enough water with me.
I’ve been religiously using Aesops Parsley Seed Eye Serum around my eyes, it makes me not feel puffy which is delightful. If I don’t feel puffy then I don’t feel tired. On overnight flights, I bring my sleep eye mask and pop it on there. It smells like a tranquil spa and helps me stay calm and doze.
Once you arrive at your destination, keep your routine up.
Eat at usual eating times for the time zone you are on and rather than thinking about being tired. Simply think about doing whatever it is you’ve got planned. Enjoying the reason why I’m in a place, fuels me past the jet lag.
Will you use these tips to help you cope with jet lag? Do you have any tips to share with me?
P.S. Make sure to join the mailing list to keep up with me throughout the week!
At NC Real Estate, I’m here to help you navigate through the best of the best. All of my market picks are independently selected by me, Natasha Collins. If you buy something I link to on my site, NC Real Estate may earn commission.
Natasha
