This past month I found myself jet setting through airports in New York City, Aruba, Panama, and Colombia. With Columbus, Ohio and San Francisco on the horizon and my travel schedule getting busier as the year goes on, I learned a long time ago that in order to stay healthy and well on the road, I needed to create a pre-travel routine to ward off sickness and help reduce the effects of jet lag. Time and time again I am grateful this routine has kept me functioning at full capacity no matter which time zone I find myself in. Next time you’re set to travel across time zones, try incorporating these five tips into your pre-travel prep and feel the difference they can make.
Even if you are lucky enough to be able to sleep on the airplane, the quality of sleep you get while in the air is nowhere near as restful as sleeping in your own bed. Any restorative sleep you hope to get onboard is typically interrupted by background noise, in-flight entertainment, and meal service. According to the UK Sleep Council, failing to get a good night’s rest can lead to increased hunger and the desire to eat more sugary foods along with refined carbohydrates. Avoid this pitfall by arriving for your departure well rested so you don’t put a further drain on your sleep cycle.
Whether you enjoy running, group fitness classes, or yoga, it’s important to move your body before you sit for long periods of time while you cross multiple time zones. Exercise reduces stress and burns calories, but it also can help to reduce jet lag symptoms faster than if you don’t exercise. Dr. Mary Harrington’s latest study finds that exercise can play a big part in resetting your circadian rhythm to help make the adjustment to a new time zone smoother.
I typically pass on airplane food. Aside from some airplane meals being prepared in unsanitary conditions , I find the food to be bland, full of sodium, and not all that nutritious. Instead I make sure that the meals I consume before my flight are full of nutrients and protein to keep me full. Grilled fish and vegetables are a good pre-flight meal or if you eat meat, a lean protein such as a small skinless chicken breast would be a good substitute. These foods keep you more full and curb your desire to snack.
High in protein, calcium, fiber, and iron, almond butter on seven-grain bread is my go-to airplane snack. By packing your own healthy snacks you know exactly what kind of food you’re putting in your body to fuel it in a healthy way. On my return flight I don’t typically have access to a kitchen to make my own sandwiches so instead I stock up on raw nuts and fruit such as bananas.
Aircraft cabins are low in humidity , which leads to dry skin, dry eyes, and dry mucus membranes in your nose. Dehydration can often exacerbate jet lag and partaking in alcohol and coffee in-flight only further dehydrate your system. Instead, start preparing your body by upping your H20 intake pre-flight and then drinking water en-route. A research study from St. John’s University in Taipei suggests adequate hydration during long-haul flights is at least 4 cups of water for every five hours in the air.
