BootsnAll Travel Community

My husband and I are moving to Indonesia, and we want to help prevent jet-lag. I've heard of the anti-jet lag diet. Has anyone tried this? Did it work?

Has anyone tried using melatonin? How did that work? Did you have any side effects?

Any other advise or suggestions would be great to hear!

Thanks!
-Amber

Changing your body clock is not as simple as that. How about switching to Indonesian time now, so when you actually arrive, you will already be adjusted?

There's actually an anti jet lag discussion going on here:

http://boards.bootsnall.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/179090755/m/57500499416

I don't know that jet lag is really bad enough to change your diet or take supplements. You're moving there so it isn't like time is a premium once you hit the ground. Just go and deal with the day or two of jet lag.

I find that taking a small amount of melatonin is helpful for adjusting to a new sleep schedule.

Different things work for different people, though. It's probably true that keeping to the meal schedule of your destination country helps, however, that can be difficult when you're on the plane and hungry.

I agree with skobb.

And, I know often when I fly, I am more tired from the travel than from jet lag. The whole flight experience these days is exhausting. When you arrive to your final destination, immediately get on their time. This means, if you arrive at 7 in the morning, you may not sleep/nap until 9/10 that evening (or whatever time you would normally go to bed). This is the quickest way I have found to acclimate myself.

Never tried the diet, but I like to take melatonin just for that first sleep after arrival.

For jet lag, definitely get outside in sunshine when you're supposed to be awake, keep active, and drink a lot of water. A lot of what you feel with jet lag is dehydration.

I agree with SFLboogie. I have traveled a lot for work where you need to get onto the new schedule as quickly as you can. Here is what I do:

1) If it's a long flight I try to sleep on the flight. Every little bit helps I figure.

2) I take melatonin a half hour before I go to bed. I think it helps.

3) I always go outside at noon (or close to it) in the new locale. I figure that it helps my body identify what is noon.

4) If I arrive in the morning after a long flight, I take a rest. I don't necessarily sleep, but I lie down for an hour or two. Then I get up and try to be active or semi-concious at least until bedtime.

5) Stay hydrated on the plane and eat healthy foods. It keeps you healthy even if it doesn't cure jet lag.

All in all, the first day is tough. If it's work, then I tough it out. If it's for fun, then I try to take it slow.

Have a great trip!

One common practice is to set your watch to your destination's time the MORNING of your departing flight, and not to wait until on the plane or when you get there. That way, you'll start thinking along those lines earlier. I think some extrapolate this idea farther, to suggest eating at what would be a normal meal time at the destination (and not eating if it's not). You could probably just tell your flight attendant to hold onto your "meal" until a certain time if the time they're serving the cabin isn't it for you.

I think the hydration rule of thumb is a glass of water for each hour flown (that is, if flight is 12 hours, then drink 12 glasses of water across travels).