This past week has been an amazing, incredible experience with lots of fantastic memories. However, fantastic memories in other countries often mean time changes. Spain is 6 hours ahead of my normal eastern time zone, which meant an odd transition both on the way there and back. To try and reduce the effects of jet lag, I used these tips:
1. Hydrate: Not only is it difficult to hydrate when on a plane because you have to use the bathroom more, but it's hard to drink water when you're sightseeing. I bit the bullet and drank plenty during my flights, knowing that it would be best for me. We also bought large bottles of water from the supermarket once we arrived so that we could take water on our excursions.
2. Stay Awake: This might seem counterintuitive, but in order to adjust to a new time zone it's helpful to get on that time zone. We arrived in Spain at 7am (1am our time) and we started our day from there. We took a few short naps as needed throughout the day, but did our best to stay awake until a reasonable time to get ourselves adjusted.
3. Nutrition: I wanted to try all sorts of foods in Spain and I definitely got the chance to. However, for the first day or so, I made sure I was getting in good protein and lots of different fruits and vegetables. I also avoided alcohol for the first day just to give my body a break. When we arrived back in the states, I incorporated many of my normal foods back in to get my body back on track.
4. Get outside/active: Getting outside and doing some sort of activity can help in two ways. Not only does it increase your "happy" feelings, but it also allows the sun/light to set your internal clock. We walked A LOT in Spain, which helped me adjust to their daily pattern, but also helped me sleep hard when it was time.
1. Hydrate: Not only is it difficult to hydrate when on a plane because you have to use the bathroom more, but it's hard to drink water when you're sightseeing. I bit the bullet and drank plenty during my flights, knowing that it would be best for me. We also bought large bottles of water from the supermarket once we arrived so that we could take water on our excursions.
2. Stay Awake: This might seem counterintuitive, but in order to adjust to a new time zone it's helpful to get on that time zone. We arrived in Spain at 7am (1am our time) and we started our day from there. We took a few short naps as needed throughout the day, but did our best to stay awake until a reasonable time to get ourselves adjusted.
3. Nutrition: I wanted to try all sorts of foods in Spain and I definitely got the chance to. However, for the first day or so, I made sure I was getting in good protein and lots of different fruits and vegetables. I also avoided alcohol for the first day just to give my body a break. When we arrived back in the states, I incorporated many of my normal foods back in to get my body back on track.
4. Get outside/active: Getting outside and doing some sort of activity can help in two ways. Not only does it increase your "happy" feelings, but it also allows the sun/light to set your internal clock. We walked A LOT in Spain, which helped me adjust to their daily pattern, but also helped me sleep hard when it was time.
Hopefully, these ideas can help you the next time you change time-zones!
What are your tricks to recovering from time change?
Photo from freeimages.com
What are your tricks to recovering from time change?
Photo from freeimages.com