[Closed] Getting over jet lag

24 hour fast then breakfast at the correct time.

Ooof! Couldn't do that!

Stay up, don't take a "nap".

Then self medicate with alcohol and an Actifed tablet to get to sleep at the right time.

Works for me.

IANAD.

Lots of daylight and eating at the right times. It's hard but avoid 'naps' in the day and also avoid caffeine so you are more likely to get to sleep at night.

Next time, start shifting your time zone the day before you fly back and change your watch / eating / sleeping on your flight as far as you can to get back to UK time. So for eastwards (USA return) flights, eat early at the airport and don't eat on the flight until breakfast, get straight to sleep.

Rule of thumb is it can take some people 1 day per 1 hour time difference to adapt.

Rule of thumb is it can take some people 1 day per 1 hour time difference to adapt.

Lol.

I work on nights 4 or 5 times a year, and have anywhere from 1 to 3 days to change over into day mode. Given that I'm looking at a 12 hour time difference, 12 days would seem a tad excessive.

You'll be tired for a couple of days, but I'm sure you'll pull through...

Thanks chaps! Last time I went to South America I nearly died so the jet lag really wasn't an issue... This time I'm really feeling it and it was only 5 hours behind!

Rule of thumb is it can take some people 1 day per 1 hour time difference to adapt.
Lol.
I work on nights 4 or 5 times a year, and have anywhere from 1 to 3 days to change over into day mode. Given that I'm looking at a 12 hour time difference, 12 days would seem a tad excessive.
You'll be tired for a couple of days, but I'm sure you'll pull through...

There's more to it than just sleeping at different times. The body syncs its hormone levels to daylight too.

duh....use the force? 😉

There's more to it than just sleeping at different times. The body syncs its hormone levels to daylight too.

Durr... Really?

I've been doing nights and days for 30 years, I know.

Whathaviisaidnow.... It doesn't work like that on the daftside!!! 😆

Rum.

Did waaaaaay too much of that in Cuba... Liver needs a bit of a rest!

Squeeze in some lime for vitamin C?

Whathaviisaidnow.... It doesn't work like that on the daftside!!!

🙂

Lots of coffee in the mornings, lay off it after lunch, that is always my routine. Plus, just live with it and don't stress out if you find yourself lying in bed.

Richpenny... Nota bad plan, sir, may try that later!!!

Flying east always hit me worst.

Get out in the sunlight whenever possible, it helps reset your clock.

Get some modafanil great for jet lag

On boarding the flight set your watch to the time at your destination. Try and fit around that. So, if you should be sleeping, sleep. Etc.

Am off Westbound tomorrow at around lunchtime. Will treat it as a normal Sunday. Big lunch, couple of glasses of wine. Plenty of water. Nice afternoon snooze. Then, on arrival stay up later than normal to get in to the right time.

Eastbound, homeward flight, much easier! Night flight. Same watch tactic, but just a cheeky glass of Port or two with some cheese and then straight to sleep!

I do day and night shifts - my recipe for getting over the shift lag is simply to not fret about it. Worked the last 3 nights so am in night mode. Today I slept for the morning. (4 hrs sleep) I will stay up until tired tonight and then sleep until I wake - and will be back in day mode.

Don't worry about the time. Get outside for some exercise and then sleep when your body tells you to.

IMO its a bit like insomnia - its gets worse when you worry about it so don't worry.

Cfh...I haven't got a watch.... Tjagain I suffer with insomnia too 😕

so go to bed when tired and set your alarm for what time you have to get up. Get up then. Stay up until tired. repeat .

That's generally what I do tbh. But with the kids at home I need to be back on form asap and I'm really not having much fun with it

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/travel-products/405027-anyone-use-modafinil-provigil-jet-lag.html
Try it you will be amazed

We really need a 'walking away shaking head at the silliness' emoji.

Jet lag is not a condition that anyone should be taking medication for; it's a period of fatigue following a mess about with your sleeping patterns.

Suck it up and don't take stuff for it.

I think he needs a travel mug of coffee to keep him awake.

Try not to go to bed before 20:30. Avoid naps, if you do nap keep it short in a uncomfortable chair. Do simple activities ideally not too physically demanding but still active. Regular breaks. Force yourself up in the morning at normal times.

I'm at 75% after 1 day but it takes about 3 days to fully recover for me.

Crikey is correct!

The only medication you should be considering for jetlag is a nice glass or two of something and plenty of water. And sleep.

Light is the key. Once read advice about looking out of the window of the flight and keeping your eyes accustomed to the light as you fly east and (usually because of overnight flights) follow the sun rise. Worked for me the one time I managed to try it.

Most of the time though everyone wants the shutters down and get broken sleep throughout the flight. Better to sleep while it's dark and then be woken and shutters open as the sun rises. Serve breakfast then, instead of just before approach for landing. Though sun does glare through the windows. Need shades on the windows but not block it out.

Well I have taken on board all the suggestions and am now taking several glasses of nice beer, followed by several glasses of nice rum possibly with some lime for added vitamin C. Further information as events warrant!!

I do long haul flights across the Atlantic every month. It's for work. They suck.

Avoid coffee (caffeine in any form) and booze before, during and after flight (maybe one wine with the meal...?). Fight through the tiredness and try to go to bed at the right time following the flight.

I normally arrive home mid-morning, and beat the weariness by taking a long walk in the afternoon. Makes me shattered come the evening and the get a good nights kip off the back of it. right as rain in the morning.

seadog, mind if I ask where you're flying to, and who with? Our paths may cross! I do similar, usually about once a month to the US, increasingly doing Asia as well, so trying to spread things out a little.

Am a regular on DL to ATL, and BA to SEA, ORD and IAD.

I'm a Longhaul pilot, so spend my life jet lagged! Don't overthink it is my main advice. Once you get your head around the fact that resting in a darkened room with the lights out is almost the same restorative power as sleep, you'll stress about it less, and probably get some sleep!

If I land back and get home before midday, I'll have 2 hrs sleep, then stay up until normal bedtime. I always sleep well back in my own bed, regardless of East or West.

I don't see the point flying through the night, then trying to stay up all day - that's a 7 hr sleep deficit! I've just flown back from Seattle today. I had a 2 hr nap before leaving the hotel(after watching Wiggo & mates), a 2hr nap on the flight, and got home at 4PM, so I'll stay up until bedtime now.

Wondered when you'd get here, Dan!

(BTW, next BA is on a 74, so won't get to "buy" you that drink!)

2 hour nap on the flight

We had 3 pilots, so all get a rest in our little penthouse suite! ( bunk above the 1st class cabin)

CFH, I'll find you somewhere!! My next trip is a passenger too, flying to Boston on Thursday on a 747 to bring back a 777.

@CFH

Usually out LHR-JFK (BA), then JFK to Georgetown in Guyana (Caribbean)
Homewards is Georgetown to Antigua (Liat), Antigua to Gatwick.

The out flights are normally good, but homewards across the Caribbean with Liat is rather comical - never check in baggage, the last you will ever see it, expect long delays, extra nights in hotels, visit other islands randomly...

Ah, different routes, then! Rarely do JFK these days. Have done Antigua to LGW, but it was with Dan's lot, in the comfy seats up front. No worries about baggage or service there! LIAT do sound a bit touch and go, but then so are AA or KLM!

Dan, will be sure to let you know next time I'm on your fleet.

More international paperclip sales people out there cfh!!!

Well, DV, that's how those of us out in da hood roll, blood! Yagetme?

(Still owe you an email re knives, btw! Keep forgetting!)

I getu! Blud! You village hoods are sic man! 😀 and anytime on the knives, I'm not going anywhere, getting my photos done tomorrow for website duties so will hopefully have that up and running by the end of the month...

Alcohol and caffeine...
Stay up late, sleep well a day wake up crack on... Worst for me is going 2-3hrs out when working flying to wa I'm awake at 5am every morning then finally sync on the day I head back.

I find it very difficult to sleep while sitting up, so long haul is really difficult for me. When we went to NZ I basically didn't sleep for 30+ hours, on top of the jet lag it left me feeling like a zombie for a couple of days. After we got to our friends' place and unpacked etc. I ended up falling asleep on lounge floor next to their dog !

The best I can do is (as others have said) start living the destination time zone as soon as I get on the plane. That doesn't always line up with the meal times but it's the best I can do.

Flying west is much easier. I just feel tired earlier than normal in the evening and wake up a bit early too. That's easier to power through than the other way around (can't sleep at night and then oversleep in the morning).

Isn't the advice to walk around barefoot on a rug and make fists with your toes? Just keep your shoes in your hand in case someone smashes all your glass.

I was just remembering my last few, arriving in Sydney at 7:30am and not getting onto my regional flight till 3pm do help, shower, breakfast, lunch and wine in the lounge helps

Ive had a fortnight holiday in the 5-6 hrs time difference every year Caribbean/USA for about 7 years and have no probs slotting in when I arrive, but coming back kills me for days.

This year We're flying back from the West Coast on a Sunday and going to work on the Monday.....yikes! I'm actually a bit worried about it, so thinking of stocking up on Red Bull to get me through the days. I won't take pills, so hoping this helps. Anyone done it?

Gone left, gone right, gone up and down. For me it's luck of the draw about the seat, flight, time of day and how good the warm up drinks are.

Travel with work every 4 to 6 weeks - mostly to the states or canada, both east & west coast

Always get an early flight out, have a late breakfast and always remain sober on the plane. Never ever sleep on the outward bound flight

Once i have landed stay awake as long as i can - 9 or 10pm minimum and drink lots of coffee to get myself there

Always wake up at 4am but treat the next 2 hours as a lie in

then i'll sleep to 5 or 6am the next day and not suffer with any mid afternoon fatigue

On the flight home i'll aim for a late flight, abuse the expenses in the airport bar and then get some more wine on the plane. Maybe watch one movie then sleep until landing.

Land early to late morning and then force myself to stay awake until 9pm again - even if it means going to work

My body clock is then back to normal the next morning

win win 🙂