How to Beat Jetlag

How to Beat Jetlag | The Luxi Look

Jetlag sure is a bitch. Since coming back from Italy, I’ve been waking up at 4am and starving, feeling tired and sluggish at random hours of the day, and in a general state of mental fuzz. When you cross multiple time zones so quickly, your body is completely out of sync and desperately has to try to readjust to a normal schedule. Without a doubt the first thing I try to figure out everytime I travel internationally is how to beat jetlag.

How to Beat Jetlag

I’m incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to travel and would love to see the entire world someday – but as you already know, traveling takes a tremendous toll on your body. As glamorous as it sounds to have a constant jetset life, I know that it isn’t always as great as it seems. My first job out of college involved flying somewhere every week and let me tell you, the novelty of life on the go wore off quickly.

Traveling disrupts your sleep schedule, your eating and workout routines, and can do a number on your skin and digestive system. Unfortunately, it takes about one day for each time zone crossed to fully recover from the effects of jetlag. I’m still recovering, but a few things have helped enough that going back to work and sitting at a desk hasn’t been as difficult as I anticipated.

How to Beat Jetlag | The Luxi Look

How to Beat Jetlag | The Luxi Look

woman leaning on the car and sharing How to Beat Jetlag

ON THE FLIGHT:

Water.

Flying dehydrates you like crazy. I always bring a refillable bottle or buy one of the large 1L bottles from a newsstand before boarding. Ideally you should drink 8 oz or more every hour you’re on the plane.

Be prepared.

I like to pack ear plugs, noise cancelling headphones, an eye mask, a neck pillow, and a sheet mask. You might get some funny looks, but it’ll help your skin from the nasty air in the plane and you’ll be comfortable : ).

Sleep.

If you’re one of those people that can sleep anywhere, LUCKY YOU!! If you’re flying first or business class, same. I don’t mess around with sleeping pills… but I try to turn off any electronics nearby and get as much rest as possible.

Avoid alcohol/caffeine/carbonated beverages.

Alcohol and caffeine will disrupt your sleep and carbonated beverages will bloat you like crazy. It’s all the fun stuff I know, but you’ll feel a million times better when you step off the plane.

Avoid plane food.

Honestly, I don’t touch the food on planes. I usually try to adjust my eating schedule to match my destination over the course of my flight. When flying internationally, you’re often in the air during sleeping hours of your destination, so I usually try to avoid eating anything until I land.

woman leaning on the wall

woman sharing How to Beat Jetlag

woman sitting on the stairs

AFTER THE FLIGHT:

Workout.

Ideally outside. Natural sunlight is one of the best things to help you readjust to your new time zone. Getting your blood flowing and breaking a sweat is one of the best cures to any stress : ).

Go to the spa.

Get a massage and relax – it’ll help release the stress that comes with flying and help you sleep better.

Give yourself time.

Even seasoned road warriors often need a day or two to reacclimate. International flights and the jetlag that comes with them are no fun. Although tbh, I’m loving waking up at 5am and going to bed at 9pm. #grandma

How do you beat jetlag?

xx, Amy

romper: rahi cali (sold out) | hat: lack of color | boots: sole society

12 Discussion to this post

  1. Lauren Nakagawa says:

    All good tips, can’t wait to see more of your travel photos!

    Lauren
    http://www.shoesandsashimi.com

  2. Jessi Malay says:

    Thanks for sharing babe!! Great tips! I travel so much for work, so this post was really helpful 🙂

    Xo, Jessi

    Would love for you to check out my recent post on where to find your dream bag
    http://www.mywhitet.com/2016/09/29/where-to-find-your-dream-bag-for-less-trendlee/

  3. Shannon says:

    I’ve never had jet lag before (maybe because I always try to sleep on the plane or sleep at normal sleeping hours on the plane) but these are also great tips for keeping your skin in good condition when you’re on a flight. Thanks for sharing. Will definitely be coming back to this post if I ever find myself jet lagged!

    TFM BLOG

  4. Love this look!
    So obsessed with your romper!
    xo.
    http://www.itswhatsin.com

  5. Jasmine K says:

    These are great tips! I dread flying for more than 2 hours. I will definitely try some of these on my next flight and hopefully I won’t end up so agitated.

    – Jasmine K
    http://www.myeunoia.com

  6. The water tip is the best! We usually try to not drink a lot during international flights because we don’t want to go to the bathroom every 5 seconds but you make a good point!!!

    xo,
    Gem+Elli | gemandelli.com

  7. […] I’m SO happy to be back in LA, back to blogging (missed you guys!!), and slowly getting over jetlag. I read online that it takes a day for every hour you need to adjust – pretty crazy, right?! […]

  8. […] As far as European destinations go, Paris is very easy to get to – most major US airports will have a direct flight to Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG). I prefer to take a flight that lands first thing in the morning so I have a full day ahead to get settled and sightsee to help me get over jetlag quickly. […]

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