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How Flight Attendants Can Beat Jetlag | WOC

How Flight Attendants Can Beat Jetlag | WOC

Exhaustion, delirium and insomnia – we’ve all struggled with jet-lag after enduring a long-haul flight.For flight attendants, this is  a regular occurrence. It is not easy for us to get into a routine when traveling and when your career requires more time in transit than anything else, it’s even more challenging.

But not impossible! Here are my top tips as to how flight attendants should maintain sleep cycle and beat jetlag.

Follow the 10.30 rule

You can follow your own 10.30am rule to figure out whether a nap is the best idea. If you  reach the hotel room or your bedroom at home by 10.30am, go to sleep for a couple of hours. If you  get there after 10.30am,  force yourself – with exercise, espresso, whatever it takes – to stay up until it’s a reasonable bedtime on your new time zone.

Face the day(light)

Being exposed to light can help teach the body to feel more awake. That’s why it’s a good idea to introduce some light into your room when waking up. Sit outside at cafes and restaurants if it’s warm enough!

Exercise

Go out and explore a new city or walk around and  popping on your sports kit helps a lot, even if it’s just for a 20-minute walk to wake up the body and boost endorphin.

Eat Brazil nuts

When it’s finally time to rest your head, jetlag tends to give you a dose of insomnia. Tackle it by eating foods that induce sleep. Carry  Brazil nuts on your travels, and  have a glass of milk before bed. If you start feeling hungry during the night you’ll never get back to sleep.

After a night flight, only sleep for three hours

If you are dealing  with overnight flights, resist the urge to sleep all day. Instead sleep for just three hours.

Skip the caffeine

As tempting as it is to reach for shots of espresso when you’re feeling completely run down, but trust me my cabin crew friends had told me that it’s not always a good idea. Minimise your caffeine intake because while a cup of coffee may give you a short burst of energy, in the longer term you’ll find that it will keep you up when you are trying to get rest.Try drinking plenty of water instead, and have a cup of camomile tea at night to help you fall asleep.

Have another tip or trick? Share it with us in comments?

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