Travel Hacks to Keep You Humming Through the Holidays!

’Tis the season for travel! Yet, crossing time zones can cause jet lag. This can result in significant changes to your body’s function (think gut, sleep, concentration) and may just have you feeling the bah-humbugs instead! Jet lag happens because your body’s internal clock, its circadian rhythm, is out of whack. This body clock depends on light exposure and our first bite of the day to synchronize itself. When we travel, these cues are all over the place.  So what’s a traveller to do? Below are some travel hacks that will keep you in the holiday spirit!

1. Begin adjusting your clock before you leave home. It takes a day for your body to adjust for every time zone you cross. So if the time difference is 3 hours, it will take 3 days to adjust! That can be miserable if you are only travelling for a week or less. So start changing your clock gradually a few days before. For example, if travelling east, start going to bed an hour earlier and waking an hour earlier for a few days. Do the opposite when going west. Also, try to adjust meal times to match closer to the destination time

2. Stay hydrated. Travel, particularly air travel, can dehydrate you more than you know. This affects your whole body, including your focus and concentration. Drink plenty of water or herbal tea throughout your trip and in the days following. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks, which dehydrate you further.

3. Synch up with your destination time. Once on the flight, set your wristwatch to the destination time. If your flight arrives at night, avoid blue light from phones and computers as well as the airplane. Use the travel time to sleep or meditate & listen to soothing music with your eyes closed instead. Use an eye mask to block out extra light. Earplugs or noise-blocking headphones also help keep the atmosphere more serene and protect your ears from excess noise so you can relax. Consider wearing blue-light blocking glasses if you must use a device. The opposite is true if your flight arrives in the day time: avoid sleeping on the plane.

4. To help your body clock adjust quickly, follow the eating schedule of your destination, in flight. So if it’s sleep time in your destination, avoid eating on the plane and grab something light before the trip. If it’s morning in your destination, have breakfast at a time that you usually would, keeping it light and healthy since you are not moving around much. I typically bring fruit and nuts as a snack and even purchase a fresh, green juice or smoothie from the airport to amp the nutrition and keep things light. By eating well, you will feel significantly better in the days following and will enjoy your trip more!

5. Dress in layers. The cabin air can get cool quickly so it helps to keep another layer such as a sweater or a shawl available to keep you comfortable. When you are too cold, muscles can tense up during the flight.

6. Once at your destination, use light exposure to help you adjust more. When travelling westward, increase your exposure to light in the evening to help you stay up. If going eastward, aim to get more light exposure in the morning. Try sticking to the local time for eating and sleeping as much as you can.

7. Travelling many time zones and not sure where to start? Consider using an app to help you. On a recent trip to California, I tried the Timeshirter app and had no issues with jet lag.


Wishing you all happy and safe travels over the holidays!  🧳✈️

Disclaimer: The content in this blog is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this blog or on this website.