by Marie Roettger
Jet lag. One of the first challenges we are facing when we are traveling to a country more than one time zone away. Everyone is dealing with it, but we have some good tips for you to get through it!
But first, what is jet lag? And what happens with our bodies? Jet lag is a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone traveling quickly across several time zones. We all have our own internal clock that’s called the circadian rhythm. This rhythm signals to our bodies when to stay awake and when to sleep. Jet lag occurs because your body's internal clock is synced to your original time zone. It hasn't changed to the time zone of where you've traveled. The more time zones crossed, the more likely you are to experience jet lag.
With that being said, how do we get over it?
When we are crossing several time zones that means we are spending a long time on the plane. Why not use this time to start preventing ourselves from having jet lag in the first place? If the time of your arrival at your destination is in the morning, you could try to sleep during the flight as much as you can. By doing this, your body slowly gets used to the new sleeping time. This does of course also work the other way around. If the time of your arrival is in the late afternoon or in the evening, you should try to stay awake during the flight.
Usually, there are some features you can use on the plane to keep yourself busy. Most of the flight companies have a selection of movies you can watch. Another option could be bringing a book, listening to music or your favorite podcast, or download an episode of your favorite series on your tablet. What about reading a travel guide during the flight and getting familiar with your new surroundings?
We hope the first tip has already gone well for you. Usually, it takes some time for our bodies to get used to the new schedule. If you’re getting tired throughout the day, you can try to drink a caffeinated beverage, that should help.
Another good idea is to keep yourself busy. Go for a walk and explore your new surroundings. See where you can go to get your groceries done, maybe you can find a park where you can hang out with other students sometimes or read a book. The important thing when you are trying to get over jet lag is to not go to sleep if you are feeling tired. You are not alone in that situation. Go and connect with the other students. You can help each other to stay awake by playing a game. That’s an amazing way to get to know each other better as well!
Always keep in mind that everybody is different, so it’s possible that you need more time to get over the jet lag than your roommates do. Don’t worry! That’s totally normal and part of self-care.