Jet lag - how to deal?
 

To all you well traveled people out there, I'd like to hear your tips and suggestions for how to deal with jet lag. I'll be landing in Frankfurt at 7:30am and I'm sure I'll be quite dazed and confused! Has anyone ever tried to adjust to European time a few days prior to travelling there?

A longstanding debate in this forum is the nap versus don't nap strategies. The earlier you arrive, the more effective the short nap approach will be, if for no other reason than it will be impossible to stay awake from 7:30 am until 9 or 10 pm unless you slept soundly on the plane.

We flew into Frankfurt last year and arrived around 6:30 am. When we got to our hotel, we took a four hour nap and were not jetlagged at all afterwards. I only recommend the nap, however, if you're sure that you can force yourself to get up after a few hours.

We tried to start adjusting the week before our last trip...going to bed a little earlier and getting up a little earlier. However, it did't work as well as we thought, but it did help some.

When we arrive Europe, we try to get on the local time as soon as possible. We use the first day to just relax, stroll and become acquainted with the area, and don't try to fit in much touring. We also try to get to bed at a decent hour that night and just sleep until we awake the next day. By then, we feel fine and don't notice anymore ill effects.

I've always been told that the main thing is to try and get on local time asap.

If you can, take a shower when you arrive to wake up (also helps to rehydrate). Force yourself to stay up until around 10pm that night to adjust to local time. If you have to take a nap, limit it to an hour. Have a great trip!

I've found that the tips suggested by Rick Steves on his Europe Through the Back Door Web site work well for me. Here's the link: www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/stayhealthy.htm.

Drink lots of water on your flight. As soon as you board your plane, set your watch to the time of your destination and start acting accordingly. If it's one a.m. there, try to sleep. It it's noon, make yourself stay awake. etc.

Thanks to Fodors tips of how to conquer jet lag, I was able to adjust my body to the local time and I actually slept very good the first night that I was in Rome this past June. It is amazing ,I have been travelling almost all my life and never knew that. I learned so much just reading the posts.It does pay to be addict to fodors, and to spend the extra free time reading the funny, educationals, sometimes grumpy posts.

We generally arrive in Paris around 7:30AM. By the time we get to the hotel it is 10. Leave luggage (room not ready) and head out to do "housekeeping chores" that aren't demanding--buy our museum pass, Metro stuff. Have lunch. Stroll somewhere just to look. Early dinner and to bed. Next day is on schedule.

Jet lag strategies also depend on the culture of the place you're visiting. For example, dinner starts very late in Spain (e.g. no earlier than 9 pm, more likely 10-11 pm) and Italy. Therefore, on arrival, I usually get some light exercise (an easy orientation walk, a few errands, etc) and have a 2-3 hour nap (the order varies, depending on how I feel on arrival). Without a nap, I wouldn't make it to dinner. With a nap, I can switch to Madrid time (where you don't go to sleep until 2 am).

In a city that dines earlier (I'm not sure, but that might include Germany and Switzerland, as well as the UK), a nap might be less important (since you can eat a meal early then go to bed early), and it might be hard to fit in, depending on your arrival time.

I also take Melatonin: 1-2 tablets on takeoff for a night flight, and then another tablet if I have trouble sleeping the first or second night after arrival. Works like a charm - and I'm still alert enough to be able to do transfers at EST 2 am at Heathrow despite the pills.

agree with drinking lots of water on flight. also go to sleep on the plane ride over. if you're landing at 730 that means you leave around 7PM? it will be dark the whole flight so after an hour I'd go to sleep, thus when you wake up you're close to on schedule for the trip.

also agree with taking a shower upon arrival. it recharges you. would stay up and "get through" the day )unless it is unbearable) and then have dinner and go to sleep aftr that. this is what works for me.

We've been happily using a product found at our local health food store called "Homeopathic NO-JET-LAG", from Miers Labs in New Zealand.

Taken at lift-off, then every two hours, until arrival; 32 tablets cost $10.

www.mierslabs.co.nz

nfortunately, I've seen/read very "mixed" reviews about the various "anti-jet lag" pills. If I thought they would work I would try them because I cannot sleep sitting up.
I agree that drinking lots of water and avoiding alcohol have worked (freeze a large bottle of water overnight before you leave..take it out and put it into your carry-on at the last minute and you'll have enough ice water for the entire flight). I've also found that getting up and walking around can be helpful during the flight and also trying to stay up as long as possible once you arrive. If nothing else, before the plane lands, hit the rest room and splash some hot (or cold) water on your face to keep you revved up for the long day ahead. Have a great trip.

Our 18 hour trip to Ireland (bad connections) and we arrived at 8AM. Rooms were not ready so another 4 hours making it noon. We slept for 2 hours then a stroll through Adare and a light dinner and bed. My problem was swelling in my legs which turned out to limit my touring. If I had been smart, I would have taken a diuretic before and after the flight. Yes, water, water, water.

Yes Kat6688,the diuretic is a good idea, but after will be bathroom, bathroom, bathroom..:):)

Try to sleep some on the plane, when you arrive at your hotel, go down to the gym and have a slight stretching exercise, then take a cool shower put on walking shoes and go out, have a light lunch/dinner about five o'clock, go back to the hotel, take a refreshing shower and go to bed between 8:00 and 9:00PM. You'll have a good 10 or 11 hour sleep and will wake fresh in the morning. I say don't under any circumstance take a nap during the first day.
It always works for us, and we travel to Europe twice annally.
GaiusJulius

Grin,

My wife and I typically land in Europe -cities such as Dublin and Munich - at an early hour, 7 to 8AM. We've yet to have trouble with jet lag, perhaps thanks to a simple plan: Take a three to four-hour siesta in the afternoon, awaken, do some sightseeing, and then have dinner. Go to bed at a normal hour, and awaken ready to enjoy your European holiday.

Best of luck.

My husband read that taking a sleeping pill as you board the plan is the best way to force your body to adjust to the new time. Our internist (very conservative) ageed.
We take Ambien but only 1/2 of the 5 mg. dose. We have done this three times to Europe and found it to be quite helpful.

Grin I highly recommend the Ambien (a sleeping pill), I usually get 10 mg. form my doctor and cut it in half and take it on the plane, if you have an early flight I would suggest taking it after lunch, if you have an evening flight take it as soon as you take off most likely you will wake in time for breakfast on the plane.
I rarely even need a nap and can go until 9:00 or 10:00 p.m provided I can take a shower at my hotel, I try to stroll around before dinner, and of course lots of h20 and no alchol on the plane.
Happy trails
Fluffy
p.s. take another Ambien before bed the night you arrive you will sleep through the night.

Not pertinent but an example of mother tongue influence. "Bill suffers from leg jet".