Share this...

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Linkedin

You finally made it off that long flight from New York to Tokyo. As you stagger into the airport with bleary eyes, it slowly dawns on you – your body thinks it’s 2 AM when in reality it’s early afternoon in Japan. Uh oh, looks like jet lag has come knocking.

If you’ve ever traveled overseas or even just a few time zones away from home, chances are you’ve dealt with that groggy, disoriented feeling known as jet lag. It’s no fun battling symptoms like relentless fatigue, wicked insomnia, and a brain that feels like mush. But before you reach for the sleeping pills, know this: there are all-natural ways to get your body back on track quickly.

In this guide, you will find out what exactly throws your internal clock out of whack, hacks to minimize jet lag FAST, and healthy recovery aids that can have you feeling balanced again. The people at ROOT Brands are devoted to all-natural wellness, so you can trust these holistic jet lag remedies to safely reset your body.

What Exactly Causes Jet Lag Havoc In Your Body?

To understand jet lag, you first need to know about your body’s internal clock – aka circadian rhythms. This internal timer is what regulates critical functions like determining when you feel sleepy versus alert. It’s primarily synced to light and dark cues.

So when you rapidly travel through different time zones, those natural light signals get disrupted. Suddenly your circadian cycles are out of sync with the local day-night schedule at your destination. Cue the dreaded jet lag symptoms as your body struggles to catch up.

You can expect unpleasantries like restless sleep and early waking, mental fog, and difficulty concentrating. Headaches, irritability, moodiness, fatigue and low energy are also common.

Studies show jet lag severity depends largely on the direction you travel. Flying east tends to mess people up more since the days get shorter. Your circadian rhythms then have to play catch up by shortening to match. Traveling west isn’t quite as brutal since the longer days allow for an easier adjustment period.

How badly jet lag affects you also depends on age and personal chronotype. However, almost everyone suffers from it, especially after lengthy trips over 4+ time zones.

The good news? While irritating, jet lag is temporary. With some proactive steps covered below, you can minimize symptoms and recover faster.

Gear Up Early: Lifestyle Tweaks to Lessen Jet Lag

Battling jet lag starts before wheels even leave the ground. Priming your internal clock beforehand can greatly minimize inflammatory symptoms. Here are some easy pro tips:

Adjust Your Sleep Schedule Incrementally

Ease your body into the destination time zone by steadily shifting sleep times. If traveling east, begin your evening earlier and cut light exposure at night over several days pre-trip. For westward trips, delay bedtimes gradually instead.

Avoid Food and Alcohol Before Boarding

Lighten up on eating before your flight wherever possible. Digestion can make jet lag bloating worse. Stay hydrated with non-alcoholic fluids instead. Save the celebratory vacation cocktails for when you’ve landed!

Set Your Devices to the New Time Zone

Swap your phone, computer, and watch settings to match your destination as soon as you board. Mentally adjusting to “landing” times helps minimize shock later.

In-Flight R&R

Get quality rest on the plane! Snooze aids like eye masks, noise-canceling headphones, and comfy pillows make mid-air sleep easier. Melatonin supplements are also safe short-term sleep helpers.

Natural Aid Allies: Supplements to Shorten Jet Lag

Beyond lifestyle measures, certain natural supplements seem promising to ease the body through time zone transitions gently. Always chat with your doctor before trying new remedies, especially if taking other medications. Useful options may include:

Melatonin – This sleep-regulating hormone in small doses helps cue your brain at bedtime. Studies confirm supplemental melatonin effectively minimizes jet lag duration and symptoms. Stick to short-term use under 3mg.

Probiotics – Keeping your gut microbiome balanced aids digestion, immunity, and mental health – all of which may lessen jet lag woes. Choose reputable brands offering billions of strains like lactobacillus and bifidobacterium.

Magnesium – Magnesium calms muscles, nerves, and headaches. The mineral also promotes melatonin release and sleep quality which can bolster your bodily realignment and recovery.

Ginger – For combating queasy jet lag bellies ginger has centuries-old street cred. Bring candied, capsule, or tea forms to soothe motion-related indigestion, inflammation and bloating in a jiffy.

Pairwise healthy habits with the occasional evidence-based supplement for welcoming new time zones much more smoothly. Thorough preparation truly helps you thrive wherever on Earth you roam!

Recovery Remedies: Natural Aids to Overcome Jet Lag Quickly

Once you touchdown at your destination, beating jet lag swiftly relies on resetting your body clock through environmental cues. Here are some all-natural tactics to hasten recovery:

Sunlight Exposure

Nothing aligns circadian rhythms faster than natural light! Soak up sun at appropriate times for your new time zone. If you traveled east, expose yourself to morning light then avoid evening sun. For westward trips, seek afternoon daylight instead.

Gradually Shift Meals

Ease swollen jet lag bellies by slowly adjusting meal times over several days post-arrival. This allows your digestive rhythms to catch up gently. Initially eat smaller, blander meals too.

Stay Active

Working out helps normalize sleep/wake cycles faster. Take walking tours, swim, stretch – anything that safely raises your heart rate and body temperature. Just don’t overexert yourself when already fatigued.

Caffeinate Strategically

Time your coffee and tea to align with local wakeup times only. Caffeine is stellar for boosting alertness but avoidance several hours pre-bedtime is key.

Consider Safe Supplements

Talk to your doctor about short-term melatonin or herbal aids like chamomile to ease symptoms. Always research any supplements thoroughly first for possible medication interactions.

Stick to Light Meals and Herbal Teas Near Bedtime

Processed foods, spicy dishes, and even water can trigger midnight bathroom runs. Sip non-caffeinated herbal tea instead with a small, bland snack to settle the tummy pre-bed.

Natural Herbal Detoxifiers

Consider sipping gentle herbal teas made with chamomile, lemon balm or passionflower. These plants are natural herbal detoxifiers and contain calming properties to promote restfulness.

Beat Burnout: Conquering Jet Lag as a Digital Nomad

These days more folks are taking the remote work revolution global as “digital nomads.” But balancing your online career with jaunting through time zones can be doubly draining. Outsmarting jet lag is key to avoid drained mental bandwidth and lost income.

Beyond standard sleep and food tips, consider bringing blue light blocking glasses to wear in the evenings. This allows you to work later without disrupting melatonin production. Navigating time differences also gets easier once you’ve established a flexible routine centered around daylight cues instead of clock watching.

Don’t neglect offline downtime either. Perhaps set auto-replies while you recover from flights. Adventure awaits – just be sure to relax enough post-touchdown!

Family Matters: Coping With Jet Lag on Lengthy Visits

Globe-trotting to visit far-flung relatives for holidays or reunions is extra special. But those long haul multi-leg journeys also mean battling amplified jet lag. Try packing electrolyte mixes for on-the-go hydration sans bloat. Compression socks boost circulation on endless flights too.

Once landed, avoid the temptation to power through late night convos fueled by vacation excitement. Let your body ease into the new time zone gradually. Sensible melatonin use lets you enjoy quality catch-up time together feeling refreshed.

Cruise Control: Jet Lag on Whirlwind Trips

Trying visiting numerous destinations in quick succession? Such ambitious itineraries ramp up transportation fatigue, especially when crisscrossing time zones. Carefully research flight/train schedules choosing routes that let you sleep and highlight daylight transitions.

Incorporate devoted “chill days” post-transit for rebooting. Light daytime activity like walking helps recalibrate circadian rhythms minus overexertion. Snooze aids make mid-trip hotel stays more rejuvenating too. Ultimately reducing pace prevents burnout so you maximize vacation enjoyment.

Exit Strategy: Preparing to Return

All trips must end eventually (sigh). But leaving behind dreamy destinations doesn’t have to be dreadful. Begin gently transitioning your body pre-departure by waking earlier, avoiding evening alcohol/caffeine, and using blackout curtains.

Pack early so you won’t be scrambling jet lagged come departure day either. Upon returning home, fight the heavy-lidded instinct to nap immediately. Instead get outside for 20+ minutes of bright morning light to help reset your body’s clock faster. Adjust bed and meal times gradually in the days following too.

Re-acclimating post-adventure can be eased through mindful intention simply listening to what your mind and body needs most. Welcome back home.

When to Worry: Abnormal Jet Lag Signs

Mild jet lag usually resolves within a few days max, even after extended flights. But if you still feel chronically fatigued, irritable, and mentally fuzzy after a week or more, that may indicate an underlying issue. Consult your physician about persistent symptoms for personalized guidance.

The bottom line? Whipping jet lag naturally all starts with priming your body clock before traveling and gently coaxing it into rhythm once at your destination. Pay attention to light, food intake, sleep times, activity levels and hydration. Within several days, you’ll be back to vacationing rather than dragging from fatigue.

To Summarize

Battling jet lag boils down to gracefully realigning your circadian rhythms through conscious support pre, during, and post long flights. Tactics like gradually shifting sleep times beforehand, avoiding inflaming foods, timed sunlight and caffeine exposure, light meals, and the occasional supplement can accelerate adjustment.

Ultimately you must listen deeply to what your body asks for moment to moment – more water, a nap, lighter dinners, less alcohol – until equilibrium restores itself. Jet lag passes quicker through attentive self-care enabling you to fully embrace new destinations.