How to get used to the new time zone

So, you are about to take a break away from home and want to “jump” into a normal, active state as soon as possible upon arrival at the resort. Here are a few simple guidelines that will rebuild both the body and the psychological sense of time to work in a new time zone.

1. Good sleep before departure

To be honest, nobody does that. Everyone is in a hurry to finish things before the holidays, they are worried. But still, I urge you to pay attention to this recommendation: what if it turns out to increase the night’s sleep before departure by at least an hour? This will already give good results.

Keep inner peace. When performing tasks, focus on the result, clearly plan the day. Ideally, while you are doing something important, turn off your phone. So you save energy on switching: report – call – what did I do? – a report! – SMS – and again the thought is lost. Such jumps in attention take a lot of time and effort.

After the task is completed, turn on the phone and call back those whose calls you missed. If you do this every hour and a half, most likely, nothing irreparable will happen.

2. Melatonin

Melatonin is a substance that is released during sleep. To improve the quality of sleep before a flight, some experts recommend starting to take dietary supplements containing melatonin a week before the holiday.

Since melatonin affects the entire body as a whole, consult your doctor before using it – and, if you can take it, start the course a week before your vacation and end three days after arrival. There is a high probability that in this case the body will hardly notice the time jump.

3. Rest before vacation

Another not the most realistic, but still feasible recommendation: do not fly out on the first day of your vacation. If you succeed, the body will be immensely grateful to you! Spend the day before departure calm and measured. Read, sleep in the afternoon, finish packing.

4. Day flight

If you have a choice, take a ticket for a day flight. You will spend the night at home, the trip will take place during daylight hours, and upon arrival you will most likely want to go to bed. And even if the sun shines outside the window, you will easily fall asleep and sleep for the required number of hours to enter the new mode without any problems.

5. Calm start to vacation

Upon arrival, go to the hotel to spend the first night in peace and quiet (ideally, in a horizontal position). Relax, sleep, read, study the guide. For active, temperamental natures, this is not easy, but believe me, these days will “make” your vacation: there is a day to rest – there will be a quick adaptation. Otherwise, the jet lag can drag on for several days, or even for the whole week.

help yourself

Ideally, the flight itself should also be a vacation. However, those who fly regularly will certainly attest that some flights can be really exhausting. What to do to make the flight as comfortable, calm, relaxing as possible?

Caution: children

Those who have a child are usually hard to get through: they are usually immune to baby crying. But for everyone else, children’s sobs can be very annoying. How to escape screaming babies? Choose seats closer to the tail: at the beginning of the cabin there are places for cradles, and parents of older children are also trying to be seated closer to the beginning of the cabin. If you are resistant to children’s screams, on the contrary, ask closer to the cockpit: there is less shaking and a little quieter engine rumble.

Singing about something under the wing of an airplane

Engine noise is another source of fatigue. Without causing acute irritation, it, nevertheless, imperceptibly eats up our resource. Stock up on sound-absorbing headphones or earplugs. Even if you are not going to sleep, you can take a nap or read in relative silence – this will reduce energy costs.

“No” to food

It is much easier for the body to adapt to a new place and time in conditions of daily or semi-daily fasting. Refusing lunch or dinner on the plane is already half the battle, and even better, do not eat heavily before departure.

What is really important in flight is water – it must be enough. In an airplane, the air is dry and the pressure is low, so fluid is quickly removed from the body. To keep your fluid balance, take a lemon with you and squeeze a little into each glass to help keep you hydrated.

Exercises: Teaching the Body and Brain to the New Time

1. Persuade the body

Once on the plane, you should immediately set the clock to the time at the place of arrival and do a very simple exercise an hour before landing.

Take the tip of the little finger of the left hand with the fingers of the right hand. Sit like this for 5 minutes, watching the time on the clock. Change finger: squeeze the tip of the ring finger. Again, count down 5 minutes. The new finger is the middle one. Etc. Change your hand and repeat the exercise. It will take you 50 minutes to complete it.

In this way, at the bodily level, you will tell yourself about the new time by registering sensations in the body and looking at the clock. This habituation greatly speeds up the process of adaptation.

2. Coax the brain

This exercise is for those who are accustomed to long and painful adjustment periods.

Upon arrival at the hotel, close the curtains in the room and go to bed. Close your eyes and imagine the sun setting as you fall asleep. The sun rises, you live your day, the sun sets again, you fall asleep.

Play this picture as many times as the number of days your adaptation usually takes. Each “roll” will take no more than 10-15 seconds. Make it clear and understandable. The brain seems to be satisfied with these “lived” days, and you get the opportunity to enter a normal mode of life much faster.