The Northern Hemisphere is basking in long, bright days and finally thawing out after yet another seemingly eternal winter. To most, summer means holiday, and holiday means travel! We get super excited about the destination; the new things we will see and do. Enter jetlag. It can ruin everything and waste half your holiday. So here we are, ready to share our top tips about how to make the most of your precious time away. With so many things on your bucket-list, we don’t want you to lose a single moment.
Stay Hydrated
Resist the #bubblesforbreakfast
No, alcoholic beverages are not hydrating! We mean water. And lots of it. The cabin pressure and the dry air on a plane means that you will dehydrate double-time, so it’s not a bad idea to drink even more water than you would on ground. Take a bottle with you. If you don’t want to overpay for one in Duty Free, you are allowed to take a completely empty bottle through airport security and most planes have drinking water fountains where you can refill it. Try to avoid alcohol completely, but if you must indulge, have 1 drink with your meal then switch back to water. Sugary soft drinks and even fruit juices can also make resting on the plane difficult, resulting in a tired little you on arrival. It’s a recipe for jetlag. Avoid!
Change Your Watch
When you get on the plane at your first departure point, change your watch to the destination time already. Keep an eye on the time and do your best to follow it. If it’s midnight at your destination, try to get some sleep and avoid heavy meals. If it’s early morning, drink a coffee (with your aforementioned water) and try to stay awake. You get the idea. Most airlines make it easy for you, if you are travelling long haul where meal services are provided, you will find that in flight service normally follows the destination time zone. Forgive them if they serve breakfast after take-off at 7pm, there’s method in their madness.
Care for your Skin
I personally travel without makeup. Your skin needs just as much rehydration as your body, so make sure you carry a small moisturiser with you that you can use on your face, neck and hands. If it’s a long haul flight, you should moisturise at least once in flight to keep your skin fresh and glowing. Never forget there is science between the thought that you feel how you look. If you look fresh and ready to go, then when you look in the mirror, it will help you feel revived!
Freshen Up
Me feeling rather proud of myself for beating the urge to nap
About an hour before landing (avoid lavatory rush-hour) go and freshen up. If you have face or body wipes with you, use them. Reapply deodorant (no aerosols please, they set off the smoke detectors) and brush your teeth. If you don’t have wet wipes with you, at least splash some hot water on your face to get the circulation going. Ladies, now is the time to apply some light make up, especially for a daytime arrival.
The 12 o’clock Rule
You need absolute discipline when you arrive to ensure you don’t fall into a jetlag routine. I follow the 12 o’clock rule; let me explain. If you’re exhausted and you arrive at the hotel/home/destination accommodation before 12 noon, it’s safe to have a nap. By nap, I mean no more than 2-3 hours. You absolutely must be up and awake (a shower always helps) by 2pm. If however, you arrive after 12pm, the best thing to do is shower and go out. Stay out. Don’t go or be anywhere where you can be tempted to nap. Avoid lying or even sitting on the bed at all costs. Napping now means you won’t sleep at night and you may as well say, “hello jetlag, my old friend”. Tough? Sometimes. But you’ll be able to make the most of your holiday. Mission accomplished.
Do you have any more top tips for avoiding jetlag? Let us know in the Comments below!
