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- Jet lag can be difficult to overcome when you’re traveling between time zones.
- We asked experts for some simple things travelers can do before, during, and after their flights to reduce the effects of jet lag.
- Here are 13 of their best tips.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
Whether you’re flying for business or pleasure, jet lag can be a serious trip wrecker.
But there are some simple things you can do before, during, and after your flight to minimize the effects of jet lag on your body.
We reached out to experts to get their do’s and don’ts when it comes to air travel. Let’s hope these tips mark the official end to staring up at your bedroom ceiling for hours on end next time you switch time zones.
Here are 13 of their best tips to defeat jet lag once and for all.
Make sleep a priority before you travel
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Make sure you’re prioritizing and getting plenty of sleep prior to your travel.
"Poor planning, late-night packing, and other stressors can often wear you down before you even stow your carry-on in the overhead compartment and this will ultimately make acclimating to a new time zone more difficult," W. Christopher Winter, a sleep researcher and owner of Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine, told Business Insider.
Pack for sleep optimization
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This is especially important if sleeping on a plane is a struggle for you.
"Make sure you’re ready for the task by packing a neck support like NapAnywhere, earplugs, a sleeping mask, and comfortable clothes," Winter said.
Time your sleep before your flight
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Getting enough sleep isn’t the whole story, however. You also need to time your sleep properly.
Christine Hansen, a sleep expert and author of "Sleep Like a Boss," told Business Insider that most people generally need a day to adjust to a two-time-zone difference.
"This means that you can prepare your body in advance," she said. "Say if you had a trip ahead where you’d have a 10-hour difference. You could take five days in advance to adjust two hours each day by getting up or going to bed two hours earlier or later depending on where you’re flying."
She suggested using the Timeshifter app, which does the calculations for you.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Sharon Feiereisen)