Day 287- East Coast Jet Lag

I made it back from another East Coast business trip. Traveling to a different time zone can be exhausting; especially when the seminar starts at 8 am EST, and you have to be there at least an hour early, and you have to get up early enough to look presentable. So basically I am up by around 2:30 am PST and have to make sure I'm chipper and functioning. Good thing I'm still young right? I'm pretty resilient, and can bound back pretty quick.

But what happens when I'm still traveling and I'm not that spring chicken anymore? As it is all ready I always have a restless first night when I arrive to the East Coast. So I looked into some tips when it comes to avoiding jet lag while traveling. Here are some traveling tips that I found that I liked that didn't involve sleeping pills!

• The first night arriving to a new location make sure to stay up until your normal bed time. So for me I am usually in bed by 10 pm PST, so when traveling to the east coast even though it may only be 7 pm PST and 10 pm EST make that your bed time. Then in the morning wake up at your normal wake-up time. So that would be 6 am EST, but 3 am PST. Don't go to bed before your normal bed time. I also found a recommendation that says to make sure you stay up until 11 pm no matter what time zone you are in, and not to sleep any sooner.
• Don't take a nap once you arrive to your location. A short nap on the plane is fine, but don't take a nap after that. It will make it much more difficult to sleep at night.
• Melatonin- Although I never would recommend melatonin, every once in awhile while traveling to help with sleep during time zone differences might be what it takes for some people. I wouldn't recommend taking it more than 2 days during travel. Melatonin is a natural hormone that helps to initiate the sleep process.
• Homeopathic Remedies- I am a true believer of the benefits of homeopathics, there are some great ones out there that help to regulate the circadian rhythm.
• Drink plenty of water; it is vital to stay hydrated. Avoid alcohol (especially on the plane) and caffeine, which can both lead to dehydration and interrupt sleep.

Safe Travels!

Pura Vida!

Alica Ryan, NTP