Jet lag is a disruption of the body’s internal clock, caused by a sudden change in time zone. It dissuades some travelers from going far away to avoid sleep disorders, mood swings… Indeed, a big gap between time zones can seriously disturb our bodies. So it’s essential to know how to deal with jet lag. Here’s our advice!
Nos conseils avant de voyager
L’objectif est de s’adapter au futur décalage avant même d’avoir posé le pied à l’étranger. Vous devez donc bien vous préparer avant de partir en ayant un rythme de vie différent de celui que vous avez l’habitude d’avoir. Vous devez également vous préparer physiquement afin que votre corps s’adapte au futur décalage horaire. Cette préparation dépend d’où vous souhaitez vous rendre. Pour un voyage sur le continent américain, l’idéal est de débuter la journée plus tardivement et de se coucher également plus tard. A l’inverse, il faudra se lever plus tôt et se coucher plus tôt pour un voyage en Asie.
Pour être en meilleure condition au moment de votre arrivée, essayez de planifier votre voyage pour arriver de jour à votre destination. Vous n’aurez pas envie de dormir à l’arrivée.
Enfin, il peut être judicieux de manger avant d’embarquer dans l’avion afin de somnoler lors du voyage et ainsi arriver plus reposé. Vous pouvez également prendre un vol avec escale, pour que votre corps ait plus de temps pour s’adapter à sa nouvelle routine.
Nos conseils dans l’avion
It’s a good idea to set the time for your destination as soon as you board the plane. This can help you get used to it psychologically. During the journey, drink plenty of fluids to limit dehydration. While drinking probably won’t help you fall asleep, it will lessen the negative effects of jet lag due to dehydration such as:
– Insomnia at night
– Daytime sleepiness
– Fatigue
– Headaches
– Digestive problems
– Difficulty concentrating
However, avoid alcohol, coffee and other stimulating beverages that can upset your body. Your journey should allow you to rest, not excite you.
Last but not least, don’t take sleeping pills. In addition to the potential dangers of taking sleeping pills at altitude, it’s even more inadvisable to take them when you’re about to travel to the other side of the world. They risk amplifying your jet lag rather than attenuating it.
Take along a special neck pillow, foam earplugs and an eye patch. They’ll give you a minimum of rest, and even if you don’t feel as if you’re sleeping, your body will be able to relax. Even if you’re tempted to watch all the films on the plane, we strongly recommend you get some rest!
Nos conseils en arrivant à destination
It is estimated that the effects of jet lag last as many days as the number of hours of jet lag.
Despite the temptation, and even though your body may be numb from the journey, don’t go to sleep just yet once you’ve reached your destination. If you can’t stand up, opt for a twenty-minute nap. If you don’t, there’s a good chance you’ll wake up in the middle of the night and in great shape.
Once you’ve arrived at your destination, it’s important to synchronize with the local time, otherwise you’ll be lagging behind, which isn’t very relaxing. That’s why it’s important to stay awake until bedtime, even if it’s difficult. Daylight has a positive effect on jet lag. Light is one of our biological clock’s main allies, helping it to constantly regulate and realign itself when necessary. On the contrary, anarchic exposure to light (as in the case of night work, for example) tends to interfere with its functioning.
Se remettre du décalage horaire une fois de retour
When you return from a trip, there are also several tips to help you recover more quickly from jet lag. Ideally, you should shorten your stay by one or two days to give yourself time to recover and get back into the swing of things, rather than returning to work barely rested.
Finally, during this period, give up screens. If you want to sleep, and above all sleep well, you need to keep your phone, tablet and laptop away…
The “mind” is of course very important. So if you set off thinking that jet lag won’t make me tired, you’ll certainly stay more active than if you tell yourself the opposite…
Have a great trip and happy vacations! Don’t forget your travel insurance for a worry-free vacation!
