Fuel How To Detox From Jet Lag—Fast.
This is how you actually detox from jet lag.
We all know that person. That person that’s able to party all night, jump on a 12-hour flight, and somehow look like they just went through a spa retreat, not an intensive retox session. While some people are genetically gifted, most people who bounce back quickly from long-haul flights have a flying routine and stick to it.
If you’ve crossed a time zone, you know how difficult it can be to bounce back after a flight. What we know about jet lag is it impacts you due to your internal clock trying to catch up with the new destination’s time zone. Jet lag impacts most people, but its symptoms can go far beyond disrupting your sleep schedule. For many, the symptoms include fatigue, brain fog, stomach problems (always a treat when you’re sightseeing or in a meeting), mood changes, dehydration, and the general feeling that things are off.
So, how can a routine hack jet lag? You trick your body’s internal clock to get with the program. By following these hacks from people who travel 24/7, you can temper the effects of being up in the air for hours on end and beat jet lag once and for all.
1. DRINK ALL THE WATER AND MOISTURIZE YOUR SKIN
Flying wreaks havoc on your body for two reasons: your hydration and the moisture barrier on your skin. Ever wonder why some people get swollen ankles or eye bags after a flight? Hydration is a big part of it. Humidity on the plane is sometimes likened to the desert at an interval of 10-20% with some research showing that in a “10 hour flight you lose from 1.6 to 2 liters of water.” Skipping water not only leads to fatigue and a headache, but you can experience bloating, swelling, and tight skin. To beat dehydration, drink at least 8oz of water for every hour you’re on the flight. If not for your pores, do it to feel refreshed, not run over, after long haul flights.
2. FAST ON YOUR FLIGHT
This one is key. While scientists have zeroed in on light being the biggest cue to your body’s internal clock, eating is the second most influential. Your brain responds to when you eat (and when you don’t). If you fast, you’re effectively telling your body to cancel its plans and hold its current state. Not eating during your flight and waiting until you want your body to believe it’s morning or early afternoon is one of the best ways to beat jet lag. Stick to water in-flight.
3. KEEP YOUR SODIUM INTAKE LOW
High sodium is never your friend when you want to avoid bloating, but it’s an enemy when you fly. Sodium makes you retain water so avoid it before and after your flight to avoid swelling and bloating which gets worse when you fly. Gas expands on planes, and you don’t want that happening real-time in your intestines.
4. SAVE THE COFFEE AND COCKTAILS FOR WHEN YOU LAND
While you should be drinking all the water and avoiding salty, in-flight snacks, you should also wait to have your coffee, in the morning, with a meal and once you land. Jet lag is a by-product of your body’s circadian rhythm going off-kilter, and caffeine and alcohol can make it worse.
5. GET A FACIAL
All the sheet masks in the world can’t do what a good massage, rapid peel, and hyper moisturizing mask can do at a spa. AWAY® Spa’s express 30-minute facial that will leave you looking fresh.
6. DETOX BEFORE THE RETOX
If you land in the morning and you’re worried about staying up all day, one of the best ways to boost mood and energy is with a workout. Yoga is great for stretching and waking up tired, cramped limbs while weights and cardio will help boost your adrenaline and endorphins to keep you fresh for the day.
Now that you’re prepared to fight jet lag, banish dull skin and inflammation with AWAY® Spa’s express facial that banishes any signs of transatlantic flying.