It’s 2am. Somehow I have an internal alarm clock that went off. Now I can’t get back to sleep. You see, I’m warm and snuggled in my bed in Canada, but my body believes I’m heading out for a full day of touring in Israel.

Jet lag.

On the way there it wasn’t as bad. We landed and started our day. The roughest part was the next morning when I didn’t hear the wake up call and only bolted awake 20 minutes before the bus was scheduled to leave. I still had to get ready and pack my suitcase. I would have to bypass breakfast and put my makeup on in the bus. I made it, but it could be because the bus was late to pick us up. We’ll never know.

I’ll say this. The jet lag I experienced travelling 7 hours ahead didn’t seem as bad as the jet lag I experienced travelling 7 hours behind.

Here are my tips for by-passing jet lag as soon as possible.

Prepare

There’s nothing like going on a trip of lifetime. Then there’s nothing like going there with the expectation that jet lag won’t affect you. If you prepare ahead of time, your body will thank you later. If you are travelling ahead in time, go to bed and wake up an hour earlier each day for a few days before you leave. It will help alleviate the shock of time change. Use a sunrise alarm clock to help.

Set your time

When you set your watch/phone to the time zone that you are travelling to, it helps trick your brain into helping your body bypass jet lag. The best time to do this is as soon as you get on the airplane (or just before).

Stay awake

As soon as we landed in Israel, we went straight into touring. It wasn’t a hefty schedule, but it was enough to help us stay awake until the evening. Very smart and strategic. Try to stay awake during daytime hours and try not to nap or your body will grasp at straws and give you a hard time about switching time zones. I made the mistake of taking a nap the day we arrived home. When my kids came home from school and tried to wake me, I couldn’t get myself together and asked them if they were real or if I was dead. Oops!

Sleep

When bedtime comes, take supplements to help you sleep. The very first thing I use in my ‘get to sleep’ routine is essential oils. For some reason the doTERRA Peace blend knocks me out every time. Melatonin is also great for naturally getting your body to sleep. If Melatonin doesn’t quite do it, ZZZ Quill is a great over the counter sleep aid. As a last resort, if needed, see your doctor before your vacation for something stronger to knock you out.

Caffeinate

The morning after we arrived, I felt delirious. I’m sure it was a scene that, if my husband had recorded it, it would’ve made it onto America’s Funniest Videos. I could NOT get it together. I was awake and not tired, but I couldn’t think straight. My husband literally held my hand and walked me to the caffeine station. Within minutes, my brain was back to functioning and I was ready to see Israel.

Hydrate

Last, but not least, hydrate. Drink as much water as you can. Your body is made up of a whole lot of water and by replenishing it, it will do what it does at it’s best – function.

Have you ever experienced jet lag? What are some tips that you swear by? Comment below.

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