Tips to beat Jet Lag

Let’s see if the following strategies can help to beat jet lag and ensure you arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and ready for adventure.

These recommendations stem from the research paper titled 'Managing Travel Fatigue and Jet Lag in Athletes: A Review and Consensus Statement' published in the National Library of Medicine.

Pre-Travel:

• Prioritize Sleep: Protect your sleep before the journey.
• Plan Ahead: Start planning when you know your destination and event dates.
• Travel Smart: Find the best travel options in terms of timing, security, and amenities.
• Minimize Sleep Gap: Try to minimize the time between your last sleep at home and your first sleep at your destination.
• Organize: Provide schedules and responsibilities to athletes and ensure all documentation is in order.
• Training Prep: Plan your training load considering the rest needed during travel.
• Illness Prevention: Update vaccinations, treat recurring illnesses, and pack necessary medications.
• Adjust Workouts: Replace long, intense workouts with shorter, high-intensity sessions.
• Nutrition Plan: Implement a nutrition and hydration plan well before traveling.

During Travel:

• Sleep Strategies: Nap when appropriate, use sleep aids like masks and earplugs, and avoid screen time.
• Compression Wear: Consider medical-grade compression clothing for comfort.
• Stay Healthy: Manage illness and avoid germ-prone areas. Follow health guidelines.
• Eat and Drink Right: Stick to your hydration plan, avoid caffeine and alcohol, eat regular but smaller meals, and prioritize food hygiene.
• Stopovers: Move around, stretch, and get fresh air during stopovers.

Post-Travel:

• Continue Sleep Strategies: Nap when needed, maintain sleep-friendly conditions, and avoid screens.
• Refuel and Hydrate: Stick to your nutrition plan optimized for training and competition.
• Digestive Health: Address constipation or diarrhoea issues as needed.
• Rest Well: Take strategic naps early in the day.
• Caffeine Timing: Consume caffeine in the morning and avoid it later.
• Training at Arrival: Engage in low to moderate-intensity workouts, avoiding extended screen time. (More on this below).

Additional Considerations:

• Sleep Disorders: Screen athletes for sleep disorders, as they can impact performance.
• Altitude Effects: Be aware of how high-altitude locations may affect sleep and performance. Looking at you Colorado - For more insights into Colorado including things to do, check out the post on 15 Fun & Exciting reason to visit Colorado.

For those fasting whether for religious purposes or intermittent etc, you ARE allowed to stop when travelling. 

This article on Wellandgood.com has more on doing easy workout routines to get your body on local time.

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Maximizing Your Workout Potential While Jet-Lagged

If you hate missing days off the gym then mustering up some extra energy while jet-lagged may just be what you need. 

A couple of things may help here:

• Upon arriving, if it's not too hot, finding an outdoor gym for a little extra motivation and sunlight could be a good idea. I managed to find a great one in Split, Croatia, it helped me after my arrival in the beautiful city. 
• If there’s no outdoor gym you can try alternative workouts (other than strength training) For more in-depth information check out How to Stay Fit while Travelling. 
• If you do go to the gym whether it be for strength training or a class then perhaps cut your routine down so it is quicker with fewer (time) breaks in between. Knowing you’ll go to the gym for only 30-45 minutes can be all the motivation you need to actually go.
• Try some breathing exercises and/or cold plunging techniques for a boost of energy - For more on this check out Wim Hof’s book if you don’t know yet you should get to know. This book and these types of techniques can give you a massive boost. It’s no coincidence cold plunging is becoming such a big trend - there are many benefits. Amazon link
• Nutrition - Make sure you keep up with healthy eating as much as possible. A good, healthy meal before embarking on a journey would be an ideal start, although anxiety, nervousness, and excitement (before a trip/travelling) aren’t the best concoction for having an appetite.  Luckily, you can easily take some light bites while you’re on the go, for example - mixed nuts, fresh fruit, hummus and veggies, Greek yogurt, and dark chocolate. All these foods can be found in your local supermarket and usually come in travel pack sizes. 

Related: Tips on Eating Healthy While Travelling

• Watch some YouTube videos on training, maybe you’ll discover some new exercises and you can’t wait to try them out. Mentally getting excited in the process. 
• Trick your mind, tell yourself that you’ll meet someone at the gym that may turn into a friendship or more. 

There is a possibility that you can do everything on this list but if you still feel tired, that’s ok too. Working out and keeping fit is supposed to be fun, if it’s bringing you too much stress then it’s not serving its purpose. 

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Final Thoughts on Exercise & Jet Lag

Jet lag can be a challenging experience, but with the right strategies, you can beat it and maximize your workout potential. Remember to stay well hydrated, maximize your exposure to daylight, and exercise regularly. With these tips, you'll be able to revive your energy and feel your best in no time. 

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Further reading materials:

Here are more interesting papers to read from that cover more in-depth information on this subject

The mammalian circadian clock and its entrainment by stress and exercise - research paper.

7 Hacks that help Athletes overcome Jet Lag on humankinetics.me.