As I write this, I am sitting in the German Alps after my second night in Europe. I remember scores of transatlantic trips where I would awaken at 2 or 3 a.m. and lie awake until 4 or 5 a.m. or face spells of amazing tiredness in the middle of the afternoon as my body adjusted to jet-lag.
I have tried light techniques where you are awake when it is light and sleep when it is dark, but my body hasn’t cooperated with the light. I used jet-lag pills from New Zealand that are supposed to help with jet-lag, but they do nothing for me. Here is my current system.
On this transatlantic trip and my last half dozen flights to Europe, I have rescheduled my life a bit to take the edge off of jet-lag. My current system seems to reduce the jet-lag to the same one-day adjustment phase that a trip from the West Coast to the East Coast demands.
The secret? Progressively get up one hour earlier each day for three days prior to getting on your flight to Europe and go to sleep earlier. I am normally up at 6 a.m. each morning. If I am scheduled for a Friday evening flight, I arise at 5 a.m. on the Tuesday before my flight, then at 4 a.m. on Wednesday, at 3 a.m. on Thursday and again at 3 a.m. on the day of my flight.
On the flight, don’t drink alcohol, eat as little as possible and sleep as much as possible. The little time you lose in sleep will adjust itself with your first night’s sleep in Europe.
In effect, I have already shifted my body three time zones earlier before I arrive in Europe. I normally get up at about 7 a.m. when I am in Europe, so that immediately has the effect of an extra time zone. The shift in my body clock is not an abrupt six-hour change and I can drive and function at meetings.
Before traveling, having the extra time in the morning is perfect for getting work done for the first days of travel, planning my trip and making sure I have everything ready for the upcoming journey.
Sure, getting up earlier each day is a pain. But, by gradually adjusting to the coming jet-lag a traveler, this way I can avoid jet-lag all together.
It works for me. Of course, this is from the East Coast to Europe. From the West Coast, start a few days earlier.
What are some of your tried and true “cures” for jet-lag?
Photo: http://www.peoplesleepingonplanes.com/
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
