Every traveler has encountered it.
We’ve all fought epic battles against it.
And far too often, it wins the fight.
Jetlag.
Today Heather joins me as we discuss some of the ways that have helped us make headway against jetlag. From eating healthy snacks and avoiding alcohol to finding a monetary motivation to get out of bed in the morning, we’ve tried a lot of strategies over the years, and we’re here to share those with you.
Unfortunately, we haven’t figured out the perfect magic formula yet (as we record this, jetlagged from Italy) and need your help.
What do you do to combat jet lag when traveling? Let us know you’re strategies, we’re always willing to be guinea pigs!
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In This Episode:
- Get on the schedule of the place you’re going.
- Bring earplugs & masks
- Healthy Snacks!
- Sleep on the plane (as much as you can)
- Limit caffeine & alcohol intake.
- Stay up until bedtime at your destination.
- Give yourself a good reason to get out of bed in the morning.
- Eat with the locals.
- There’s an app for that!
and much more!
I Need Your Help
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@PackofPeanuts has some good suggestions on combatting #jetlag while you #travel. How do you fight this epic battle? → http://bit.ly/1wqMWT1
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I’m a fan of the podcasts and referencing the show notes later.
Your melatonin and cortisol circadian rhythms are one of the major contributors to jet lag.
Blue light from the sun and tv/computer monitors suppress melatonin levels. So you want to avoid screens and the sun 2 hours before you want to sleep. You can also install f.lux on your computers to filter out blue light from the screens. If you are really hardcore you can get blue blocking glasses.
And you want blue light at time of waking. So lots of sun early in the day will halt all melatonin production. You can start coercing your “natural” cycles ahead of time with these techniques.
This is all science-based. No old wives tales here. Google it or check PubMed for specific studies.
@Cyrus- Thanks, this really helps. Will give it a try!
Glad to help Trav. I’d consider myself a pretty savvy ultralight traveler, but have been podcast-binging at 2x speed on your backlog and have picked up some game-changing tactics!
Let me reiterate again that I’m on the audio camp over the articles camp that I see others preferring from these comments if that holds any sway.
Here’s the free blue light filter software:
https://justgetflux.com/
It’s nice as it adjust blue light levels based on time of day at the location set. So a few days before traveling, set your location to where you are planning on going.
Will work fine with a Macbook but think you need to jailbreak iPhone/iPad to use it. Android is more lenient in this regard. There are other software alternatives as well.
For Android, CF Lumen, is the best that I’ve tried so far.
ONE RECOMMENDATION ON NOT TO DO WHEN TRYING TO COMBAT JET LAG . DNT SCHEDULE A CLASICAL MUSIC CONCERT THE NIGHT YO GET THERE.
THE STORY IS THAT I WENT TO BARCELONA LAST MONTH AND I WANTED TO GO TO SEE PALAU DE MUSICA CATALANA . SINCE IT IS A WORLD HERITAGE SITE. WELL WE COULD ONLY SQUEEZ A CONCERT THE DAY WE GOT THERE. WELL THE PLACE IS GREAT NICE ARCHITECTURE , MODERNISTA , BUT DONT ASK US ABOUT THE MUSIC SINCE WE SLEPT THE WHOLE WHILE. WE COULD NOT STAY FOR THE NEXT ACT AND WE JUST LEFT AND WALKED AROUND THE CITY TILL IT WAS A BIT LATE….
I agree with Ken..I and others less likely to listen to a podcast
@David- Totally understand the podcast style isn’t for everyone. I’m trying to figure out a way to make the information readily accessible for everyone else as well. I’ll try some things if you tell me what you like!
Another podcast? I’d venture a guess that you’ve lost a lot of readers now that there’s nothing to read. I don’t listen to the podcasts anymore, I used to though.
@Ken- We will still be posting once a week as well, like we did this week with our “Day in the Life”. Posts will come out every Thursday and podcasts 5x/wk, Monday through Friday. Any reason you stopped listening? What can we do better?
I just don’t like listening to podcasts in general while I’m working. I know it’s a total PITA and a ton of work, but if there was a way to generate a transcript automatically I’d probably read that. But I still read the print posts.
@Ken- Yeah, I find it hard to listen to podcasts and work as well. I only listen to them when I’m driving, running, doing dishes, or other “mindless” tasks. Yeah, I’m trying to find a way that I could take all the information in the podcasts and get them in to a post form. I know I could pay to get them transcribed, but wondering if that’s even interesting?
I don’t think it’s worth it to pay someone to do the work.
@Ken- Yeah, I’m trying to figure out a way to take the material in the podcasts, because it’s great stuff, and make it friendly for the post readers too. Gonna try a few things, so let me know what you like!
Will do :)