Once you’re settled on your flight, there’s little you can control. The length of the flight, bumpiness, comfort, and more are all out of your control. However, how you recover from a flight is manageable. The way you approach travel and the steps you take when you reach your destination all play a role in your flight recovery.
1. If you’re scheduling meetings at your destination, schedule them based on your normal time frame. For example, if you’re traveling from New York to California and you’re used to 11 a.m. meetings, schedule the meeting for 8 a.m. PST. So long as everyone can make it, you’ll perform at your best because you’re operating on the schedule you’re used to. This is especially important if you’re taking a short trip which doesn’t allow for much time adjustment.
2. On the flight, drink plenty of water. Airplanes are incredibly dry, which means it’s easy for you to get dehydrated. When you’re not hydrated well enough, it’s more difficult to recover from a long flight. Purchase water at the airport after going through security. That way, even if it takes a while for the attendants to come around with drinks, you’ll have something to sip on. Keep in mind that you can’t take liquids through security. Also, after you reach your destination, keep drinking that water!
3. Avoid caffeine and alcohol on the plane and immediately following the flight. These are important times to stay hydrated, and caffeine and alcohol will thwart your efforts.
4. Make a plan to either stay awake on the plane or to sleep during the flight. Base your choice on when you’ll be landing at your destination. If you’ll be arriving in the evening, stay awake on the plane so you can get to sleep that night. If you’ll be landing in the morning or early afternoon, sleep on the plane so you don’t waste the day by napping once you arrive.
5. During the flight, get up to stretch and walk around a bit. If you’re not able to leave your seat, at least stretch your legs and feet every so often. If you have a layover, make sure to walk around the terminal before getting on the next flight. By moving around, you’ll keep your blood flowing, which will help with recovery and prevent aches.
6. If you go through an entire flight without sleep and you’re landing at your destination in the morning, drink a caffeinated beverage an hour or so after arriving. This will keep you up through the day and prevent you from napping, so that you can get a good night’s sleep at the hotel you booked with Hipmunk. It’s important to start out with a normal sleep schedule in order to reset your internal clock and recover quickly. On the other hand, if you land at your destination at night, steer clear of caffeine until the following day.
7. Exercise in the morning, preferably outside. This will help your body get on a natural rhythm of waking up in the morning and feeling tired by bed time.
By planning carefully, you can reduce or even eliminate jet leg. Otherwise, it could take you days to reset your internal clock, just in time for your return trip home.
This article was contributed by Fiona Moriarty of Hipmunk, the most comprehensive travel search website allowing you to find the best deals on anything from flights and hotels to train rides and Homeaway rentals.
