Does anyone have any suggestions for coping with jet lag when traveling from the US to Europe? DH suffers specifically and by association, so do I.

The best "cure" I know is to get out and do things on your first day - walk around outside, if the weather's decent. Don't plan a packed schedule, but have enough to keep you busy. And get to bed at a decent, but normal, time.

Here are some tricks I use

- Eat dinner before I get on the plane.
- Once on the plane, settle into "sleep" mode. Eyes shut, noise canceling headphones on with some quiet music.
- No alcohol, no movies, no books, no chit chat. Sleep on the plane as much as possible.
- Upon arrival, shower, freshen up, and treat it like a normal day. Stay up until close to normal bed time. No naps.
- Get some good exercise the day of arrival. A run, swim, bike ride, or vigorous walk, or gym workout.

1st day is tough. After that I'm usually pretty well adjusted.

In the past I have suffered really bad jet lag flying to Europe. Sometimes it lasted 2 to 4 days. No more. Here's the cure.

Book a flight that puts you in the air during your normal sleep time. Never take a flight arriving in Europe before 11 AM local time.

Order a couple of vodkas on the first pass of the cabin attendants.

Bring a half dozen airline bottles of Crown Royal on board. Share with your seat mate and learn all about him or her.

Order the pasta dinner with a bottle of red wine.

Order a cognac after dinner.

Keep talking with your seat mate until you both doze off.

Make disgruntled noises when the cabin lights come on and people start raising the window shades as you approach your destination.

Eat the so called breakfast and gulp the so called coffee.

Use the toilet.

Arrive with absolutely no jet lag. You are good to go all day.

Agree with J62. I follow a similar routine and it works for me. We just keep going the first day but have an early evening. No nap! I slip easily into their time zone. I have found over the past couple of years that I have difficulty adjusting when I come home. Wake up in the middle of the night raring to go, very tired by late afternoon. It takes me about 3 days or so to adjust to my home time zone. Must be an age thing, I am 55. Had no problems before.

Sparnee, you are my hero! I LOVE your thought processes. But a lttle bit of Xanax the next day, takes the edge off IMO.

About a week before going, I'll go to bed an hour earlier, get up an hour earlier...then 2 hors earlier,etc..On night of flight, when I board I am already for a nap. Dinner, no wine or movies, try to sleep/nap. Land, go to hotel, drop offf luggage and go out into city. No nap (that just delays your body adjusting)...walk,sun, no bus tours, eat at normal time, bed at normal time. By day 2, I'm almost completly adjusted.

My theory...not a lot of holiday time usually, so want to minimiize jet lag...so I'm willing to make some pre-trip effort.

My advice is much like everyone else's and work like a charm for me.

- Go to bed and wake up one hour earlier each day leading up to vacation. You'll be closer to your new local time. You will be exhausted by the time you board, so you can actually sleep.

- I download a bunch of relaxation, meditation and soft music for the flight. Even if I can't fall asleep, I am in a very relaxed state and am able to tune out noise on the plane.

- Eating super healthy the week before the flight helps too. I eat healthy anyway, but I am talking about eating mostly protein and veggies only. Tons of water too.

- Pack and be as ready to go as you can a few days before your trip. This will make your days leading up to the flight as relaxed as possible. I like to get on the plane feeling relaxed...not as though I raced to the finish line so to speak.

- We have used the "no jet lag" homeopathic pills. They could be a placebo but they seem to work.

- Shower and get moving when you arrive. Make it past dinner and go to bed early. This is about 8 or 9 pm for us. You'll be all set the next morning.

We feel great and are able to get onto local time quickly using these methods above.

We crash out upon arrival at the hotel, wake up for dinner and the evening, crash for the night and then we're ok the next day.

Take a nap when you get there and then enjoy dinner and a little sightseeing. Then go to bed at normal time and no jet lag the next day. YMMV

Everybody is different. I can't stay up all night on the plane and then stay up all day, and I seldom sleep more than an hour or so on the plane. So I need a nap. I sleep at some point for an hour or two, and I do go around the neighborhood a bit.

The first couple of nights, before I am completely adjusted, I can stay up late enough to enjoy late dinners and European night life. I don't force myself to get up early the first couple of days. Once I am on a more normal schedule, I am up earlier and in bed earlier.

This all feels very natural, I adjust at a reasonable pace, and if I try to force myself into a more rapid adjustment, it just doesn't work for me.

Another "cure" or should we really call these "prevention methods" for a definitely NON-disease?

Take the DAY FLIGHT if you can even find one anymore.

We take No Jet Lag pills starting before we board and then every 2 hours and continue taking them for 24 hours after landing. when we get settled in hotel or apartment take a 2 hour nap as neither of us sleep during the flight. Lots of water during flight and no alcohol and light dinner. The next day we are set to go.

PinkCoyote was specific about jetlag from the US to Europe but what about the reverse? Does jetlag only kick in travelling from West to East ? I am just dreading the daylight flight from Paris to Calgary - arriving the same day we left!! Hows that going to affect us?

Jet lag east to west is worse in my experience. You will be tired for a few days. Eat lightly, try to relax on the plane with noise cancelling headphones, reminisce about Paris!

Jet lag does seem to be worse for me going West than going East. Probably because I find it harder to stay awake later than I am accustomed to than to go to sleep earlier than I am accustomed to.

1. Treat yourself well before you fly. Exercise, eat well & go to bed early on the weeks prior to departure. Plan your work schedule well ahead so that you don’t end up staying at work late the night before you travel. This is always a problem for me....

2. Avoid caffeine, it dehydrates you. Expert travelers recommend avoiding or <B>limiting</B> coffee, sodas & alcoholic beverages.

3. Stay away from salty foods like nuts & pretzels when traveling. Likewise foods excessively high in sugar.

4. Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before & during flights. It’s a good idea to stay hydrated all though your trip.

5. Reset your internal clock ASAP. Immediately upon departure, set your watch to the destination’s time. (Some people even do this a day or two in advance!) Resist the urge to dwell continually on what time it is back home.


6. Upon arrival, get out in the daylight & breathe. (Remember you’ve been breathing recycled air.) At the hotel, resist the urge to take a very long nap. This is most important in avoiding jet lag. A deep nap for several hours upon arrival may prolong that groggy feeling. If you must nap make it no more than 1 hour. Settle in, freshen up quickly & unpack later. Take a walk outdoors. Then plan to make the first night an early night.

jubilada - No, don't have to reminisce.....after 3 weeks in Canada going back for another week in Paris! Am I lucky or what!

Thanks y'all!
We don't sleep much on the plane, although we try, so will try the nap and enjoy dinner and the evening recommendation.

"Does anyone have any suggestions for coping with jet lag when traveling from the US to Europe?"

One word: SEX. A good round upon arrival and you are good to go.

Blows the cobwebs right out.