If you’ve ever had to travel from one time zone to another then you will almost certainly have experienced some form of jet lag. How seriously it hits you depends entirely on how major the time zone change is, and how well your body is programmed to do certain things at certain times. To some extent all of our bodies crave routine throughout a 24 hour period and any big change to that can see you suffering with extreme tiredness, loss of appetite, lack of concentration and many other symptoms which you’d rather do without when you want to be enjoying your trip away. Recent studies suggest that it can take a whole day for our bodies to readjust to a new time zone, which is one whole day that you lose of your holiday. But there’s hope! Today we’d love to tell you about the best way to beat jet lag.
Luckily there are ways in which you can prepare your body for the change in time zone ahead of your trip, and ways in which you can help your body to adjust and recuperate faster once you have reached your destination.
Before You Travel
Most people are tempted to keep themselves awake the night before they travel but this is a fairly risky attempt. Travelling can wear you out more than you think so it is always better to be well rested before you set off on your journey. It’s better to try and break up your daily routine instead to give your body a head’s up that something is coming; eat a little later or a little earlier than you might usually, stay up a little later or go to bed earlier; anything which changes up the routine that you may be rigidly accustomed to. It can also help if you book your flights so that you are landing at your destination during the day, which will make it less tempting to immediately crawl into bed although again, this isn’t an absolute given and would have to be played by ear depending on how you felt on arrival.
When Travelling
As boring as it sounds when you might be in holiday mode, give the celebratory alcohol a miss and stick to water and other products which will keep you well hydrated. Avoid caffeine is possible as this may prevent you from getting some shut-eye when it’s time.
After You’ve Arrived
This is really the big one as unless you are a frequent flyer you are unlikely to know exactly how your body is going to react to the time change. It’s important that you don’t give your body too much time to wonder what is going on but you immediately get stuck into the new routine, such as eating three meals a day at the correct time for where you are. Even if that means eating your breakfast when your body thinks it is the middle of the night. If you are fortunate enough to have booked into one of the brilliant spa hotels London then you could also take some time out of your holiday to make use of the facilities and treatments to help your body adjust faster.
The spa offered at The Montcalm London Marble Arch Hotel has been designed to be an oasis and is the perfect place to escape for some tranquillity to allow your body to catch up with itself. If you don’t need to hit the ground running when you arrive in London then we would suggest that you take some time out; by all means try to get your body into the new time zone and schedule but that doesn’t mean you need to spend the day you land in the UK exploring London’s biggest and best attractions, that can come on another day.
Treatments such as a full body massage can help to get your circulation going and restore your body after an exhausting flight. Even if you weren’t changing time zones, travel can be taxing enough on the body so having a spa treatment such as a massage or a facial can really help with rejuvenating and energizing your body, helping you to get over the effects of the jet lag faster than you might do otherwise. There are a number of massages available at the Montcalm hotels including an Herbal Ball Massage and a Recovery Treatment massage; both of which have been designed to ease sore muscles, get your circulation up and remove any tension. You may also be interested in the Lomi Lomi Hawaiian Massage which uses techniques to help the body’s natural healing process; something which you may need if jet lag is making you feel generally unwell in yourself, which does sometimes happen.
Other treatments which you may find beneficial include facials which can help reduce the puffiness which sometimes occurs when we have travelled, especially if you are feeling particularly tired and notice that your eyes are suffering. A good facial, such as the Hydra Marine or the Algae Facial from the Montcalm can help to release any tension, get rid of any toxins and give you back that gorgeous glow which will put a spring in your step as you head out to have fun and enjoy your time in London.
Aside from beauty treatments themselves, even just spending some time in a peaceful bubble can do wonders for allowing your body to recover and recuperate. The Montcalm spas offer all the facilities you would expect from such a hotel with treatment rooms, fitness centres, sauna and steam rooms, monsoon showers and a spa pool. Taking some time out for yourself when you have arrived in London may prove to be the very best way to beat jet lag and make sure that you can make the most of the rest of your time in the city, discovering all the reasons why millions of tourists choose to come here each year.