Fighting Travel Fatigue: 10 Ways to Battle Jet Lag

It's an all too familiar scene: you arrive at your destination bright and early, but all you want to do is go to the hotel and crawl in bed. You should be excited, but instead you're tired, grumpy, dehydrated, and undeniably jet lagged. While an instant cure for jet lag doesn't exist yet, there are things you can do. Here-ten tips to help get your body clock up to speed before it's time to board your return flight home.

Get a good nights sleep.
While this may seem obvious, it's surprising how many people don't heed this advice. Researchers warn against short-changing yourself before leaving for a trip and advise to get at least 15 extra minutes of sleep each night for three days before lift-off. The extra sleep can pay of ten-fold, especially if you're traveling west and need to stay awake longer than you're used to upon arrival. Getting enough sleep beforehand can also reduce the risk that you'll feel the need to nap once you've landed, saving you an even bigger time loss.

Tire yourself out.
Whether it's running on a treadmill or rushing to do some last minute packing, moving around can help you beat jet lag. Aside from helping you sleep better on that long flight, a study done by the University of Toronto suggests that exercise can reduce the length of time that jet lag affects passengers by almost two-thirds. Think you don't have the time to break a sweat before take off? Feel the burn, and not the jet lag, by avoiding the escalators and moving sidewalks once you get to the airport.

Start adjusting your internal clock before the trip.
The general rule for recovering after a long flight is to give yourself one day for every hour lost during a time change, but there are preventative measures you can take to help get yourself on the fast-track. A few days before your trip, start changing your routine to coincide with the schedule at your new destination. If you're traveling east, you can begin by going to bed and waking up one hour earlier than your normal routine.

Trick your mind by changing your clock.
While the effects and causes of jet lag are very real, some simple changes can help to trick your mind into adjusting faster. If your destination is three hours ahead of your current time zone, several days before your trip, try changing your watch to match the time at your destination. By being aware of your new schedule, your body and mind can start preparing for the change by altering your internal rhythm and begin anticipating new time cues that affect your body's clock, like when you're going to eat.

Stay hydrated.
Staying hydrated is most likely the best and most effective way to combat jet lag. Airplane cabins have extremely low humidity levels, due to cold air being circulated from outside the cabin, which can aggravate the condition. To help combat dryness, steer away from alcoholic and caffeinated drinks, since they can act as diuretics and dehydrate the body. Opt instead for juice or bottled water, and don't be shy to ask a flight attendant for another bottle if you start feeling thirsty.

Consider Melatonin.
Melatonin, a compound naturally found in the body noted for regulating sleep cycles, has been used by travelers for years to fight the fatigue associated with jet lag. Melatonin, which can be found in pill form at most vitamin stores, differs from sleeping pills in the fact that it doesn't cause sleepiness, but instead advances the sleep stages to help nudge you towards sleep. Be careful though, the pills have been controversial, with some studies showing that incorrect dosages actually induce fatigue.

Soak up the sun.
Since jet lag is directly related to your body being out of synch with the rising and setting of the sun, light therapy should seem a no-brainer. While multiple companies sell everything from light boxes to dawn simulators, researchers recommend spending 15 to 20 minutes in direct sunlight right after landing, sans sunglasses, to reap the maximum benefits. The reason? Bright light signals to the body that it's time to be active, while darkness signals that it's time for rest.

Eat the right foods.
Food has a huge effect on how our bodies function, and some can even help regulate our internal body clocks. Research shows that high-protein, fatty foods-like peanuts, eggs and meats-can help both the body and mind stay alert. Inversely, if your goal is to catch some Z's, consume foods rich with carbohydrates, like pasta or bread, which have been proven to quickly raise blood sugar and boost tryptophan and serotonin levels-two brain chemicals involved in sleep.

Avoid airline food.
Airlines often serve their meals according to the time where the flight originated, making eating at onboard scheduled meal times a sabotage to your efforts at resetting your internal clock. Instead, trying waiting until landing to eat, or if that doesn't seem possible, bring along food that you can snack on during times that coincide with your destinations meal times. Remember, your digestive system is coupled with your biological clock and it may take a few days for it to readjust, so lean towards lighter meals.

Plan activities for as soon as you land.
You might be groggy, bleary-eyed, and thinking only of hunkering down in your hotel room in front of the TV, but research shows that staying up and active until the sun sets has its rewards. To help you stay awake, plan activities that will keep you engaged throughout the day, like taking a walk around the streets surrounding your hotel, or heading to a museum. Social interactions, like conversations, have also been proven to increase brain function and alertness, loosening the grip of jet lag.