If you have been following my socials you will know I returned from an amazing trip to Sydney, Australia a few weeks ago.It’s been a long time since I travelled long haul on my own, and I very quickly remembered how much I love travelling.I was however worried about the jet lag, as it is something I have struggled with in the past.Now, totally acclimatised back to London life, I thought I’d share my top tips for minimising jet lag and maximising time away.
Food. I am one of those people who eats little and often whatever the time zone, but I feel this is particularly effective when travelling long haul - especially if you are trying to stay awake when your body clock is telling you it’s bedtime. In addition to this, my newfound trick – which really worked, was to eat meals or snacks that mentally mark the mealtime to suit the time zone you are going to.
Hydrate and avoid the bar. Anyone who knows me has probably fallen over reading that I am advocating avoiding the bar, but on a plane this is a rule I don’t deviate from. If you can abstain from alcohol you’ll be doing yourself a favour and whilst I may sound really boring - minimising your caffeine intake makes a difference too. I feel we really do underestimate the dehydration our bodies go through when we are flying. On a plane, I’m a goody two-shoes and stick to still water and herbal tea.
Invest in travel toiletries. Dehydration of course affects our skin too and I’m not sure if it’s psychosomatic but I can actually feel my skin dehydrate on a plane, so for my recent trip I invested in travel sizes of my toiletries and I was glad I did. Cleanser, toner and a hydrating face cream, from any brand you like. I also like the facial mists you can buy to hydrate and protect your skin throughout the flight. I took Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir on board with me.
Adjust to the time zone you’re travelling to asap. Even on the plane – change your watch, your phone, everything. I used to be rubbish on reaching my destination too, trying to nap whenever I could, but I have realised that is not the way to go. Be brutal and dive into the time zone you’re in and stay awake till bedtime – even it’s early. Powering through is the best option to maximising your time away.
Make the most of the daylight hours. Daylight and sunshine help massively to get adjusted so if you arrive during the day make the most of it.
Get some exercise. The day I arrived in Sydney my girl friend and I got straight back to her house, put our gym kit on and headed out for a long walk over Sydney Harbour Bridge. I couldn’t quite believe what we were doing, but as an ex air stewardess she is an expert. It was great to get moving after being sedentary for so long and get my endorphins pumping.
Fresh clothes or pyjamas. This is something I never used to do. But actually having a change of clothes, space permitting, is a great idea. I certainly found that a change of underwear goes a long way to making you feel a bit fresher after a long haul flight. And if you have a long stopover, look into the in transit hotels. I went to a great one in Singapore airport, which I had booked ahead of time – it was great to get into a bed and have a proper shower before getting on the second leg of my journey.
Sleeping tablets and the like. I am not a fan. Some people rave about melatonin, but I have never tried it. However, I do like using homeopathy, and before I flew I was told that Arnica (which is pretty magical anyway) helps with exhaustion and the exertion of long flights. So I popped a vial in my bag and took a few pills every day – did it work? Well, it certainly didn’t do any harm!
So, there are my top tips, what are yours?