How To Minimise Jetlag

Step 1: Before you go

Get a head start by getting plenty of sleep in the days leading up to your flight. If you're travelling east, go to bed earlier and get up earlier than you would usually do, so you can adjust to the time change more gradually. If you're travelling west, go to bed and get up later.

Step 2: Reset your body clock

Change your watch to the time of the place you are flying to as soon as you get on the plane. This will help you adapt to the new time zone more quickly.

Step 3: Exercise

Small amounts of exercise during a flight is important to ensure a relaxed, comfortable journey, and to help prevent medical problems such as deep vein thrombosis. Move around the plane when you can and do stretching exercises in your seat. Rotate each ankle 10 times in both directions. Spread out your toes and lift them towards your legs, then point them away.

Step 4: Alcohol

The air inside a plane is drier than the body is used to, so drink plenty of water and avoid caffeine and alcohol as they will make you more dehydrated. Although it's tempting to make a journey go faster by getting to know the drinks trolley, jet lag will be compounded if you have a hangover. Alcohol has 2-3 times the effect on the body during a flight than on the ground so try and avoid it during the journey. You can always make up for it once you've arrived.

Step 5: On arrival

To accustomise to your destination as quickly as possible, follow local mealtimes, stay awake until local bedtime and avoid taking long naps. Go for a brisk walk or take some exercise on the first morning, making sure you spend some time in the daylight, as natural light will help to re-align your body clock.