Jet Lag. How best to deal with it?
Discussion
We're off to Wollongong next week for a month (from the UK). As we are there for a relatively short stay, with lots to do, we don't really want to be walking around like Zombies for the first week.
Any tips on how to deal with the Jet Lag?
The flight departs UK at 9.00am, so I was thinking maybe we should stay awake the night before so we can get plenty of shut eye before we land in Abu Dabi (only there for 2.5 hrs). Then a couple of hours shut eye after Abu Dabi and then stay awake until we get to where we are going.
Any suggestions or is it best just to do what your body tells you to do?
Any tips on how to deal with the Jet Lag?
The flight departs UK at 9.00am, so I was thinking maybe we should stay awake the night before so we can get plenty of shut eye before we land in Abu Dabi (only there for 2.5 hrs). Then a couple of hours shut eye after Abu Dabi and then stay awake until we get to where we are going.
Any suggestions or is it best just to do what your body tells you to do?
I sleep as much as I can, at the airport, during the flight, etc and wake up at the right time in the morning at the destination.
If I am going to get there at midday or similar a 2 hour nap after arrival sorts it out. But take it easy on the first day and plan to wake up at the right time the next day.
If I am going to get there at midday or similar a 2 hour nap after arrival sorts it out. But take it easy on the first day and plan to wake up at the right time the next day.
Edited by sinizter on Monday 13th December 16:30
Really depends on what time you are landing rather than leaving.
if you are landing early you need lots of sleep on the plane even if you only just shut your eyes and listen to your ipod.
if you are landing late you need a small amount of sleep - so eat drink and watch the movies and only nap
if you are landing early you need lots of sleep on the plane even if you only just shut your eyes and listen to your ipod.
if you are landing late you need a small amount of sleep - so eat drink and watch the movies and only nap
my tips after many many trips back and forth:
1. Always do a stop over if only for one night. I recommend Dubai and Singapore as generally only 25 mins from Airport to Hotel/City Center. Bangkok and KL are a good 45/50 mins so feels like an extensive chore. Can be quite cheap, chance to shop/see the place/catch your breath/shower/sleep etc.
2. When you fly dont always fly cheapest airline at the time. Means they are generally sold out so will be full and full of cocktards. The second cheapest may only be $30 more or something sometimes but can mean you get a few seats to yourself to sleep. I recommend Malaysian and Emirates airlines but Malaysian screws up point 1
3. Take a couple of night time cold & flu tabs for the long stretch. Voila - 10 hours sleep!
4. Drink water on the flight - never fizzy drinks (they gas up and make you fart loads or just lots of discomfort) or alchohol. Dehydration makes the jetlag worse.
5. Travel light. Simples.
6. Have a good meal before you fly e.g at Perth go to Dome - big Salads/Sandwiches.Airplane food is generally insufficient and full of preservatives. Also if you have a meal before you fly you can do Point 3 and miss the meals.
7. Soon as you get to Oz/UK try and stay awake till regular bedtime so you can get into the stride asap.
8. Get some sun in oz asap. Vitamin D works a treat for mood/lethargy.
9. Dont shop at Airports. Means you end up carrying more s
te you dont need and feeling stressed.
10. Try and sleep on the plane according to the destination time e.g if you are flying at 9.00am UK time thats 8.00pm Sydney time so get your head down a couple of hours into the flight.
11. Tell people you are arriving a good couple of days later than you actually are. That gives you a few days to wind down on your own time/sleep etc before being dragged around to BBQ's!
1. Always do a stop over if only for one night. I recommend Dubai and Singapore as generally only 25 mins from Airport to Hotel/City Center. Bangkok and KL are a good 45/50 mins so feels like an extensive chore. Can be quite cheap, chance to shop/see the place/catch your breath/shower/sleep etc.
2. When you fly dont always fly cheapest airline at the time. Means they are generally sold out so will be full and full of cocktards. The second cheapest may only be $30 more or something sometimes but can mean you get a few seats to yourself to sleep. I recommend Malaysian and Emirates airlines but Malaysian screws up point 1
3. Take a couple of night time cold & flu tabs for the long stretch. Voila - 10 hours sleep!
4. Drink water on the flight - never fizzy drinks (they gas up and make you fart loads or just lots of discomfort) or alchohol. Dehydration makes the jetlag worse.
5. Travel light. Simples.
6. Have a good meal before you fly e.g at Perth go to Dome - big Salads/Sandwiches.Airplane food is generally insufficient and full of preservatives. Also if you have a meal before you fly you can do Point 3 and miss the meals.
7. Soon as you get to Oz/UK try and stay awake till regular bedtime so you can get into the stride asap.
8. Get some sun in oz asap. Vitamin D works a treat for mood/lethargy.
9. Dont shop at Airports. Means you end up carrying more s
te you dont need and feeling stressed.10. Try and sleep on the plane according to the destination time e.g if you are flying at 9.00am UK time thats 8.00pm Sydney time so get your head down a couple of hours into the flight.
11. Tell people you are arriving a good couple of days later than you actually are. That gives you a few days to wind down on your own time/sleep etc before being dragged around to BBQ's!
Edited by Pommygranite on Monday 13th December 18:15
sparkypups said:
Really depends on what time you are landing rather than leaving.
Agreed.Last time (London->Sing->Perth) we landed mid afternoon. I'd slept at the beginning of the flight, but then stayed up for the 2nd leg.
Landed, went and got a hire car, went shopping for beers, got a takeaway, went home.
Spent a few hours drinking/eating/catching up with mates and went to bed early evening. Set the alarm for early next day. Done.
Bibbs said:
sparkypups said:
Really depends on what time you are landing rather than leaving.
Agreed.Last time (London->Sing->Perth) we landed mid afternoon. I'd slept at the beginning of the flight, but then stayed up for the 2nd leg.
Landed, went and got a hire car, went shopping for beers, got a takeaway, went home.
Spent a few hours drinking/eating/catching up with mates and went to bed early evening. Set the alarm for early next day. Done.
Every time I fly Syd-Lon (usually via Dubai/Abu Dhabi) I just stay up on arrival until about 9pm or so, then go to bed, get up at a normal time and away I go.
Agree work backwards. If it is 454, you will get into Sydney in the early evening, go straight to bed! The other one gets in at 6.30am. Maybe sleep for a few hours when you first get onboard in Abu Dhabi, max 3 or 4 hours, then stay awake. Should be daylight after 3 or 4 hours anyway on the aeroplane, just past the Maldives/Sri Lanka somewhere. Should be just about daylight when you land too. If you can't sleep in that time frame, when you do fall asleep, only do it for a few hours so when you get to Sydney you feel tired.
Sorted 
Thanks for all your advice. So, plan is to not kip the night before the flight, leave at 9.00am UK time, kip for 4 / 5 hours before landing in Abu Dhabi, kip for 4 / 5 hours after Abu Dahbi, stay awake for the rest of the flight, land in Sydney at 7.30 PM local time, and bed at midnight latest (following a few beers 
).
Hopefully I'll wake up fresh the following day. We have "lay flat" seats / beds on both legs of the journey so that should help a lot.
We are in for another st load of snow and sub zero temperatures next week so just hope the plane can get out of Manchester!!!
Thanks for all your advice. So, plan is to not kip the night before the flight, leave at 9.00am UK time, kip for 4 / 5 hours before landing in Abu Dhabi, kip for 4 / 5 hours after Abu Dahbi, stay awake for the rest of the flight, land in Sydney at 7.30 PM local time, and bed at midnight latest (following a few beers ).Hopefully I'll wake up fresh the following day. We have "lay flat" seats / beds on both legs of the journey so that should help a lot.
We are in for another s
t load of snow and sub zero temperatures next week so just hope the plane can get out of Manchester!!!Edited by NTEL on Tuesday 14th December 14:27
The way I deal with it depends on what time I get to Sydney.
I usually get the flight landing at 06:00 (or 08:00 depending on daylight savings) in which case I grab a bunch of sleep after food coming out of heathrow (3-4 hours) then stay awake until after KL and then get as much as possible on the plane then drive back to Newcastle and stay awake for the rest of the day.
Leaving Heathrow in the morning, I stay awake as long as possible then sleep coming into KL. The trick is then to stay awake for the 7 hours to Sydney landing at 21:00. Drive home, snack and then to bed with the alarm set for 08:00. Then go to work !
Had plenty of practice when doing bank holiday nights the year before I left the UK. Not too much difference really.
I usually get the flight landing at 06:00 (or 08:00 depending on daylight savings) in which case I grab a bunch of sleep after food coming out of heathrow (3-4 hours) then stay awake until after KL and then get as much as possible on the plane then drive back to Newcastle and stay awake for the rest of the day.
Leaving Heathrow in the morning, I stay awake as long as possible then sleep coming into KL. The trick is then to stay awake for the 7 hours to Sydney landing at 21:00. Drive home, snack and then to bed with the alarm set for 08:00. Then go to work !
Had plenty of practice when doing bank holiday nights the year before I left the UK. Not too much difference really.
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