Jet Lag Be Gone! Top Tips from the Pros | Bota Bota, spa-sur-l'eau

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Jet Lag Be Gone! Top Tips from the Pros

You land in France for your ski trip in the Alps, and you just can’t wait to try some of the fancy footwork you saw in Sochi. But as soon as you hit the slopes, it hits you: the dreaded energy crash! Jet lag can be a real travel downer. Luckily, travel pros have figured out a way around it. Here are tips from some of the best in the business.

Laura Osborne, Senior Passport Editor for enRoute magazine:
“Exercise is key for your body to adapt to new surroundings. I try and find a creative ways to sneak in a little exercise if I don’t have time for a workout. Taking the stairs, walking instead of hopping in a taxi works for me – plus it allows me get to know my surroundings more quickly!”

Bruno-Carl Gagnon, flight attendant for Air Canada
“One of my tricks is to eat really well before and after the flight, but not while in the air. When I’m not on the job I try to sleep as much as possible in flight, so that I’m rested when I land and can adapt to local time as quickly as possible. To help me sleep in flight I sometimes take melatonin – it’s a natural relaxant.”

Tony George, founder of GetARoom.com
“Get plenty of rest before the trip and try to adjust sleep schedule slightly to begin to meet the time schedule of your new destination. Then upon arrival, stay awake until an early local bedtime. No matter how you feel, AVOID SLEEPING UPON ARRIVAL! Your body will not adjust at all.”

Doug Morris, pilot for Air Canada
“Fill up on non-alcoholic liquids. Flight crews are allotted one litre of water for each eight hours of duty. I try to drink lots of water throughout the flight and bring the rest on my layover. During flight, I try to stay away from the diuretics like coffee and soft drinks. But now and again, a splash of coffee ups the perkiness.”

Patrick Smith, pilot and blogger at AskThePilot.com
“For airline crews, jet lag can be an ambiguous term. I would describe, instead, a more general fatigue that routinely accompanies long-haul flying. To deal with it, rest up prior to your trip; avoid excess alcohol and heavy meals. But everyone’s physiology is different!”