January 25, 2021

How to Fight Jet Lag Insomnia

How to Fight Jet Lag Insomnia

Jet Lag is when you travel across time zones, throwing off your circadian rhythms making you sleepy during the day and awake when its time to go to bed.

Anyone who has ever been on a plane across time zones has suffered from jet lag.

For frequent travelers jet lag is common.

There Are Ways to Fight Jet Lag Before, During and After Travel

If you are traveling somewhere with a few hours time difference start changing your sleep habits a few days before you travel so that they are closer to what they will be at your destination.


When you arrive at your destination take a half hour or hour long nap and then get up and spend as much time as possible in natural light. Stay away from caffeinated drinks even though you may be tempted to use them to keep you awake when you arrive in a new time zone. Also stay away from too much alcohol and rich meals and take a melatonin supplement at about a half hour before you want to go to sleep.


Most airlines serve all of the wrong foods on a flight. Jet gas, which is intestinal gas, makes you bloated, uncomfortable and dehydrated. When you’re in high altitude and they pressurize you at 6000 feet it means more extension of gas in your intestines. In very dry air you lose your sense of smell and so you lose your sense of taste so chefs making the plane food add a ton of salt. Also, most adults can’t process milk and are lactose intolerant and on an airplane it is even more pronounced. This is only going to cause everyone extreme intestinal gas. Not only do you have to recover from the change in time zones but your body has to recover from having the wrong foods at that – or any – altitude.


While flying it can help to bring your own headphones or ear plugs, calming music, face masks, comfortable clothes, and healthy food so you are comfortable and can sleep on the flight.