There are all kinds of theories about how to handle a long-haul flight without feeling exhausted.
It’s an occupational hazard for cabin crew… but here are their proven tips.
1. Go local – fast
Change your clock to the time of your destination as soon as you land (most phones do this automatically). Living by local time is easier when you fly west, as you’ll typically arrive closer to bedtime. Fly east and you might have a full day to spend before bed. “That’s why cabin crew say west is best, and east is a beast,” says Jennie Jordan, author of Flying High, a book about the lives of flight attendants.
2. Limit your naps
A quick nap after arriving is fine, preferably in the morning, because it won’t affect your body clock as much as a long afternoon nap, and is less likely to prevent you from sleeping at night. But it’s best to stay awake at your usual bedtime. Planning an activity on the first day, even if it’s just going to a restaurant for an early dinner, can distract you from sleep.
Experts advise changing your clock as soon as you land at your destination and avoiding long afternoon naps.
Alcohol is more potent at altitude and causes dehydration, which worsens fatigue.
3. Alcohol is bad news
Free drinks may be tempting, but alcohol has more effect at 35,000 feet, as cabin pressure reduces blood oxygen levels. Drink too much and a hangover can set in shortly after landing, further confusing the biological clocks that associate headaches with the early morning hours. Dehydration also causes fatigue and aggravates jet lag.
4. Drink that fresh air
Don’t drink coffee or tea inside on your first morning outside. Take a cup out to the garden, a hotel pool or even outside to get some fresh air and feel the daylight on your skin as soon as possible. It helps your subconscious register that it’s morning and takes you to the new time zone.
Taking your morning coffee to the pool will help you adjust to the new time zone
A walk at sunset promotes digestion and acclimatization
5. Go for a walk
Scientists say dog owners tend to sleep well while taking short walks in the evening, stretching their muscles and reminding the subconscious that night has fallen. So, during the holidays, take a walk at sunset. And never go straight from dinner to bed, as it can cause indigestion and jet lag.
6. Sleeping pill rules
Three nights of sleeping pills are enough: Over-the-counter, prescription, or herbal pills can help you sleep in a new time zone, but Dr. Ben MacFarlane, author of Holiday SOS: The Life-Saving Adventures Of A Traveling Doctor, warns against packing too much. “After the third night you should be able to sleep naturally,” he says. “Get into the habit of taking medication on vacation and you may have a hard time breaking the cycle at home.”
7. Avoid riots
Don’t risk being woken up when you fall asleep in a hotel for a quick midday nap. Most cabin crew put their cell phones on silent and hang “Do Not Disturb” signs.
Cabin crew tend to use do not disturb signs so they can sleep without being unwantedly bumped by housekeeping staff.
DJ Calvin Harris, pictured here with his wife Vick Hope, advises eating egg yolks in the air, although it’s unclear if that has any scientific basis.
8. Embrace background noise
Experts say it’s worth adopting low noise levels on planes and in hotels. Tell your brain that it’s okay to be surrounded by a low hum of activity and that you’re more likely to sleep. White noise, including campfire recordings, can also soften sounds that might otherwise wake us up.
9. Don’t be cheeky
Some swear to stay on UK time while away. They say it makes it easier to switch back to British time. Critics believe it is likely to only work for business travelers traveling for one or two nights. If you’re away for a week, ignore UK time completely.
10. Ignore strange advice
DJ Calvin Harris recently said that eating raw egg yolks on flights prevents him from getting jet lag. When he flies long distance, he says he puts six eggs in his carry-on suitcase, then breaks them and eats the yokes in his (first class) seat. This works? Doubtful, but to each his own.