Dealing with Jet Lag – What New Travelers Should Know

et lag is something most new travelers experience at least once. For me, it was a tough part of my first international trip, especially when I flew from New York to Paris. I arrived feeling exhausted and disoriented, only to realize that jet lag wasn’t just about being tired; it’s your body’s internal clock trying to catch up with the new time zone. After a few trips, I picked up some tricks to minimize jet lag, and I want to share them with you.

1. Prepare Your Body Before You Leave

One of the best ways to deal with jet lag is to adjust your sleep schedule a few days before you travel. This helps your body start syncing with the time zone of your destination. If you’re flying east (like from New York to London), try going to bed an hour earlier each night for a few days leading up to your trip. If you’re flying west (like from New York to Los Angeles), stay up an hour later each night. By gradually shifting your sleep pattern, you ease the transition when you arrive.

Tip: If possible, start adjusting your schedule 3-4 days before your trip to make the shift smoother.

2. Stay Hydrated During the Flight

I learned the hard way that dehydration can make jet lag worse. Airplane cabins are incredibly dry, which can leave you feeling even more fatigued. I always make sure to drink water regularly during the flight, which helps me stay hydrated and avoid some of the disorientation that comes with jet lag. I also avoid alcohol and caffeine while flying. These can both dehydrate you and mess with your sleep cycle, which isn’t ideal when you’re trying to adjust to a new time zone.

Tip: Bring an empty water bottle through security and fill it up at the gate. This ensures you have easy access to water throughout the flight.

3. Get Some Sunlight Upon Arrival

Exposure to natural light is one of the quickest ways to reset your body’s internal clock. When I arrive at my destination, I always try to get outside, even if I’m tired. It doesn’t matter whether it’s morning or afternoon—getting sunlight helps tell your body that it’s time to adjust to the local time zone. When I arrived in Paris on my first trip, I felt completely drained. However, after taking a walk around the city and getting some sunlight, I started to feel more alert and awake.

Tip: If it’s daytime when you arrive, spend as much time outside as possible to help your body adapt. If you arrive in the evening, try not to take naps and go to bed at the local time to help reset your clock.

4. Stick to the Local Time Zone

It’s easy to give in to the urge to nap when you’re exhausted, but fighting the temptation to rest too soon is key to fighting jet lag. The faster you adjust to the local time zone, the quicker your body will get used to the new schedule. If you arrive in the morning or early afternoon, try to stay awake until evening. This might be hard, but it will help you avoid disrupting your sleep cycle and make it easier to fall asleep at a reasonable hour.

Tip: If you must nap, keep it short—about 20-30 minutes. Long naps can leave you feeling groggy and make it harder to adjust.