| Don’t let jet lag spoil that much needed holiday | | | | Tip 4. Avoid Pills. |
| trip to paradise or stop you from closing that career | | | | With the exception of any prescribed medication that |
| enhancing deal you’ve been working on for | | | | you normally take, you should avoid sleeping pills, |
| months. | | | | so-called ‘jet lag’ pills and over the |
| Arriving full of excitement and anticipation is great, | | | | counter medication for jet lag. Not only do these |
| but finding that you can’t sleep at night, | | | | have little or no beneficial effect, many of them can |
| you’re tired during the day and you’ve | | | | actually add to your problems. |
| got an upset stomach and a headache can do a lot | | | | In particular, avoid the common temptation to take |
| more than just take the edge off your trip. | | | | sleeping pills during your flight. They may well help |
| If you’re seeking ways of preventing jet lag, | | | | you to get to sleep on the aircraft, but they will add |
| or looking for the perfect jet lag remedy, then here | | | | to your problems when you arrive at your |
| are seven tips to start you on your search. | | | | destination. |
| Tip 1. Clear the decks before your departure. | | | | Tip 5. Dress comfortably for your flight. |
| A much overlooked aspect of jet lag is the part | | | | Choose comfortable and loose fitting clothes to |
| played by stress. Running around trying to do a 1001 | | | | travel in and tuck a pair of slippers into your carry-on |
| last minute jobs in the week before you fly. | | | | luggage to wear on board the aircraft. It’s nice |
| Worrying about whether the house will be safe. | | | | to be able to get dressed up and go out once you |
| Sitting up until midnight the night before your flight | | | | reach your destination but nobody is going to expect |
| paying the household bills. Sound familiar? | | | | you to get dressed up to the nines while |
| Plan well in advance and make sure that | | | | you’re traveling. |
| you’ve taken care of everything at least three | | | | Tip 6. Get out in the sunshine. |
| or four days before you go. Then take it easy, get | | | | Once you reach your destination get out into daylight |
| lots of rest and set aside time specifically for | | | | as much as possible during the first few days of your |
| relaxation. | | | | trip. Daylight sends powerful signals to your body |
| Tip 2. Start adjusting your bedtime before you go. | | | | clock and you’ll find that it adjusts far more |
| In the two weeks before your trip start to gradually | | | | quickly if it is exposed to the normal cycle of daylight |
| adjust your bedtime. If you’re flying east, | | | | and darkness at your destination. So take advantage |
| bring your bedtime forward by ten or fifteen minutes | | | | of this and don’t hide yourself away indoors. |
| each night so that, by the time you leave, | | | | Tip 7. Take something special with you. |
| you’re going to bed about two hours earlier | | | | It can often be difficult settling in strange |
| than normal. This will ‘narrow the gap’ | | | | surroundings and, in particular, relaxing sufficiently to |
| between the time at which your body wants to go | | | | fall asleep. So, take one or two items of special |
| to bed and the time that the clock says you should | | | | significance with you, perhaps a family photograph or |
| go to bed at your destination. | | | | a favorite bedside ornament, to help give a little bit |
| Similarly, if you’re traveling west, put your | | | | of the feel of home. |
| bedtime back by ten or fifteen minutes each day. | | | | Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders |
| Tip 3. Reduce you caffeine intake. | | | | Attention Ezine Editors / Website Owners |
| Coffee, as well as other caffeinated drinks, both | | | | Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your |
| speeds up and slows down your internal body clock, | | | | ezine or on your website so long as you leave all links |
| depending upon the time of day that you consume it. | | | | intact, do not modify the contentand include the |
| When you’re settled into a regular pattern of | | | | resource box shown above. You may of course use |
| sleep this doesn’t necessarily present too | | | | your own affiliate link in the resource box. |
| much of a problem, as the effects can tend to | | | | For details of our affiliate program, please visit our |
| ‘balance out’. However, when your | | | | website at [ |
| body clock finds itself at odds with local time the | | | | If you do use this article, please send me a note so |
| effects of caffeine can be quite marked and add | | | | that I can take a quick look. Many thanks. |
| considerably to the problems of jet lag. | | | | |