Flourish Health & Wellbeing eMag - Latest Edition - Flipbook - Page 32
SLEEP
SIMPLE TIPS FOR
BY SLEEP HEALTH FOUNDATION
We’ve all been there,
stumbling bleary-eyed
through a new city, wide
awake at 3am, or nodding
off in the middle of the
day. Jet lag can put a real
dampener on your travel
plans, whether you’re flying
for business or pleasure.
Luckily, there are some
simple, science-backed
strategies to help your body
clock catch up and make the
most of your trip.
Short Trip? S琀椀ck to Home Time
If you’re away for just a day
or two, it’s o昀琀en best not to
bother adjus琀椀ng at all. Try to
keep your body on “home
琀椀me” — eat when you’d
usually eat, sleep when you’d
usually sleep, and avoid going
outdoors when it’s dark back
home. This approach helps
minimise confusion for your
internal clock and saves you
the struggle of adjus琀椀ng only
to have to switch back again
when you return.
Longer Stay? Adjust Early
For trips las琀椀ng more than a
couple of days, start switching
to your des琀椀na琀椀on’s 琀椀me
zone as soon as you can —
even while you’re on the
plane. Set your watch to
local 琀椀me, and try to eat and
sleep according to your new
schedule. The earlier you
begin the adjustment, the
faster your body will adapt
once you land.
Give Yourself a Few Days
Be pa琀椀ent with yourself.
Even seasoned travellers
need 琀椀me to recover. It
usually takes around two to
three days for your body to
fully adjust to a new 琀椀me
zone. Expect a “slump 琀椀me”
(that mid-a昀琀ernoon fog or
late-night alertness) and know
that it’s normal while your
body recalibrates.
Power Nap — Smartly
A short nap can work wonders
while you’re adjus琀椀ng,
helping you feel more alert
and refreshed. The trick is to
keep it brief (no more than 30
minutes) and avoid napping
too close to bed琀椀me. Make
sure you’re awake for at least
