Keiracaitlyn

I agree with adjusting your schedule to be on Venice time. I always start about 5 days in advance, practicing being awake/asleep during my destination's peak hours...I have never had jet lag by doing this, although I do get jet lag when I get home (but I don't mind it then!)

suze

My problem with Benedryl is not "drying". It's that I have the opposite reaction of what's supposed to happen. It makes me very WIRED and wide awake and anxious. It doesn't knock me out at all. I would be miserable on an overnight flight in that condition!

pookymimi

We went from Colorado to Lisbon, so I know what you are doing. I also have to take Xanax to get into the first plane otherwise strait jacket would be required.

We didn't sleep too much in the overnight plane to Madrid, but when we got to Lisbon we went immediately for a walk and dinner to adjust to the Europe schedule while here it was early morning. The first week in Europe was hard, but avoiding naps and forcing your body to live under the schedule you are in finally gives in.

We just got back yesterday from Zurich and again, I didn't sleep through the day 9 hr flight and got us awake until we got to Dallas at night almost 15 hrs later although it was again day time in Zurich. Today I'm much better. In my experience going forward in schedule to Europe (losing day time) is much harder than returning and bringing your clock back 8 hrs and adding day light.

Gina817

Trying not to duplicate any info above...

- I download relaxation/meditation podcasts and listen to those as soon as I get on the plane. This way even if I cannot fall asleep right away, I am very relaxed and can eventually fall asleep.

- Start getting on local time as much as possible before your trip. I start waking up 15-30 mins earlier starting about 7-10 days before I leave. I end up getting to work WAY before anyone else and falling asleep by 8 or 9 pm, but it's well worth it. But the time I am leaving, I am waking up by 4 am (around 11 am local time) and it helps tremendously.

- Be packed and ready to go in advance. Minimize any reason to be stressed out or rushed on the day before and of travel.

kwren

Yea! I think I'm the only "take a nap" person here! I think you need to do what feels best to you. There's no way we would make it through the evening and dinner without our nap! We do walk around once we arrive - usually can't check in so early anyway - but feel a whole lot better with a 1- 1 1/2 hour nap in the afternoon. We set an alarm to make sure we don't sleep until 3 am and after getting up, we go out again. Just that little bit of sleep really helps us cope. Do what works for you!

The only time I took Ambien, I was in a deep sleep on a plane for a very long time and had trouble waking up when I needed to, so if you have never taken that and if you might try it on the plane, maybe you should try it at home first to see how it affects you. I like the suggestion of the lowest dose.

Mimar

It was suggested to us to take half an Ambien when you wake up at 2 or 3 AM on your first days in Europe. This worked really well for us.

suze

kwren~ nope, i'm a take a nap person too! i'm in the go with what your body is crying out for - camp.
i'm too afraid of sleeping pills like Ambien, i don't want to be knocked out, but I do mildly dose myself with valium or xanax both for the plane ride and the first few nights in europe. that works the best for me.

kwren

I had tried wine on that flight but it didn't put me to sleep. After a while I took Ambien. Big mistake! Never take Ambien and alcohol together, even if they are spaced apart by an hour. happened first, then it was hard to wake up.

spaarne

As predicted by an early poster on this thread you will get plenty of opinions, and half of them contradict the other half.

I have conquered jet lag with the following procedure.

1. Fly during your normal sleep time so you can sleep on the plane. By leaving LAX at 15h30 on the 10 to 11 hour flight you are arriving at CDG at about 2 AM Los Angeles time. If you can fall asleep by 23h00 LA time you will have about 2 hours max sleep time before the flight attendants turn the lights on and start passing out breakfast. You are in for a long tiresome day. Do not nap. I suggest that you stay up all night the night before your flight so you will be dog tired by the time you get to the plane.
2. On the plane when the FAs come around the first time order two vodkas or whatever booze you drink.
3. On the second FA tour order the pasta with a demi bottle of red wine. Ask for two bottles.
4. On the final FA expedition order a couple of cognacs.

That should knock you out for at least 5 hours. You will be good to go by the time you reach Venice.

Everybody's body is different. This works for me. No jet lag eastbound on my last half dozen flights.

jscarbary

Definitely agree, when we arrived in Germany none of us suffered much jet-lag at all. However, it seemed like it took forever when we came home to readjust to Michigan time.

screen_name_taken

yep! agreed - not too tough flying to europe, but flying back home is a different story. takes much longer to get back to "normal" when I travel east to west.

Iowa_Redhead

These topics always make me laugh. Everyone has their own method that they swear by. What works best for one may be an absolute nightmare for someone else. You just have to find what works best for you through trial and error.


I generally end up trying to get a decent nights sleep the night before, though it never seems to happen. Just being so tired that I can hardly see straight when I get on the plane helps me. The adrenaline gets me through to my connection (usually O'Hare) and then I can zonk out from there. I often end up staying awake on flights anyway just due to the excitement, and then once I get to my destination I get another rush and I'm set to go until bedtime.

What has also worked really well for me is scheduling flights (when reasonably possible) that land late in the evening or even in the middle of the night. By the time I get to the hotel it's 10pm - 2am and it's bedtime anyway. Set an alarm for early morning and go straight to bed. My flights coming home tend to put me home in the evening so that gives me a chance to start laundry, cuddle my cat and then it's bedtime.

I've never noticed having jet lag of any kind, but I also spend most of my life in some level of sleep deprivation anyway. I get 3-4 hours a night during the week and then often catch up with 12-14 hours a night on the weekend. It might not be healthy, but I guess it does make traveling easier.

tarquin

The flight home, whether eastwards or westwards, is the one that's harder to recover from. Possibly because it's the second time shift, but mostly, it's a time of deflation, not excitement and anticipation.

I am a fan of the walking outside all day method of avoiding jetlag.

bettyo70

Thanks, Everybody! SPAARNE: Your post made me laugh a lot. If I drank that much on the plane, I would probably end up in the first ER they could get me to!

Actually, I usually prefer to fly at night, so yes, it will be challenging starting off at 3:30pm from LAX. But I guess that's what the Ambien (or Benadryl) will be for! And absolutely NO ALCOHOL.

When I finally arrive in Venice, I'll follow what many people here say: No nap for me. Try to adjust to the new time -- even if that means inhaling several ESPRESSOS to keep me going.

Then go to bed around 11pm, Italian time. And if it's possible, I'll try half an Ambien to help me fall asleep. Cheers!

suze

bettyo70, If you are going to "try" Ambien or Beneadryl, please do so at home before your trip. Not everyone reacts the same. Those are BAD drugs for some people.

I prefer the yes to alcohol on the plane and a nap method myself.

Kyliebaby3

Additionally, take your meals at the appropriate times upon arrival, and don't eat only when you're hungry. This helps me adjust tremendously, and I typically don't get jetlag anymore.

I wait to get the awful plane meal, choke it down with a glass of wine and a Tylenol PM, try to sleep for as much of the flight as possible, and then eat my meals at the right time upon arrival. This might mean eating when you're not hungry, but it should help your body to adjust to the time difference.

bumper

My wife and I have used the Jet Lag Diet developed by travel guru Stephen Forsythe. Here's what has worked well for us. The night before the flight eat a large carbohydrate rich meal (pasta is best). The day of the flight drink fruit juices and water. Unless you are really starved - and you probably will be - skip the in-flight meal. And NO Alcohol. The morning of your arrival, ie., the next morning, get up before breakfast is served, go in the bathroom, wash or use one of the travel shower wipes, brush your teeth and completely change clothes. Then eat all of the breakfast served on the plane. This seems a bit drastic but it does help reset the body clock. If the diet is too much, at least wash, brush your teeth - men shave - and change clothes. It makes a difference you won't believe. You'll laugh at all the people around you who come dragging off the plane as you skip to Customs!

janisj

suze and the others: I <i>think</i> bettyo70 is already on their trip (it was to be this month anyway).

The thread was topped by someone advertising a commercial jet lag "cure" that can be >>ordered by the case on line<<

suze

oh, old news...

Dayenu

We had a similar flight, and planned on taking a short nap before going out to dinner, but were so excited, we couldn't fall asleep, so we left the hotel, and just wandered around. It was wonderful

Went to bed a little early, and the next day were in the European time zone. Almost.

It's coming home that was much worse, I think the vacation is over, back to work, post-vacation blues added to the state of zombinness. Took 10 days to get back to normal.