Tips for Avoiding Jetlag

With the peak business and summer holiday travel season upon us, Corinthia Hotel London’s Neuroscientist in Residence shares her top 10 tips on how to beat jetlag, the one thing that can spoil an otherwise great long-haul trip.

“Taking a holiday is good for the brain,” says Dr. Tara Swart, neuroscientist. “It gives us the opportunity to rest and recalibrate and go on a digital detox from our smartphones, laptops and tablets. However, the effect of long-haul flying on the brain can be extremely disruptive. Research carried out by the University of California, Berkeley shows that acute disruption of circadian rhythms (our biological clock), causes memory and learning problems and long-term changes in brain anatomy, long after travelers have returned to their regular schedule.”

To combat jetlag, try these pre-trip, in-flight and on-arrival approaches.

Pre-Trip:

• Shift your internal clock before you fly. Depending on whether you fly east or west, exposure to additional light in the morning or afternoon will help the body make adjustments while traveling.
• Only use sleeping pills for a maximum of two days in the beginning or end of a trip that involves more than a four-hour time difference.

In Flight:

• Try fasting until breakfast time in the new time zone to help reset the body’s rhythms.
• Drink a lot of water to help limit the dehydrating effects of flying.

On Arrival:

• Do aerobic exercises upon arrival, which helps to wake up the body and increase circulation.
• Expose yourself to as much daylight as possible during the day.
• Adjust your sleep routine to the local time zone as soon as possible by choosing optimal travel times.
• Avoid alcohol before bed as it does not induce a natural sleep, and avoid drinking coffee after 2 p.m.
• Limit use of blue light-emitting devices like smartphones and TVs an hour before bed, as they trick the mind into thinking it’s daytime and inhibit production of melatonin, a naturally occurring sleep hormone released when it gets dark.