8 Tips to Overcome Jet Lag When Flying to Asia

I recently travelled to South East Asia for 1 month and the time difference between Canada and Asia was 13 hours. Viet Nam is 13 hours ahead, which means if it’s 10:00 am in Calgary, it’s 11:00 pm in Viet Nam.

Jet lag can happen when your body’s natural clock – your circadian rhythm – becomes unbalanced. So if it’s night time in the city you’re visiting and you wonder why you can’t sleep, that’s because it’s the morning where you departed from and your body’s internal clock still thinks it’s daytime.

My flight was about 22 hours in duration including layovers. And I did make a couple mistakes during this flight that had disrupted my sleeping pattern. Some of these things included not sleeping when I should have on the flight and eating food all at strange hours, which had upset my stomach. This had made accommodating to my new time zone a little more challenging.

Coming back home felt almost worse when it came to jet lag symptoms, but I think it was because I was so tired and exhausted from the trip, that my body immediately wanted to sleep and recover. They say it takes about 1 day for every time zone that you cross to recover from jet lag. The time difference between Canada and South East Asia differs greatly, so know that it will take time, but there are things you can do to help with that.

I’ve written down 8 tips for your flight (that I learnt the hard way) to help you overcome jet lag on your next flight to Asia.

1. Minimize Plans On Your First Day

Arriving to your destination city is so exciting and you probably want to pack each and every day with excursions and things to do. But when you are crossing multiple time zones, it’ll take some time for your body to adjust to a new wake and sleep cycle. In order to overcome jet lag faster, I’d suggest keeping the first and second day slower to allow your body to ease in.

This doesn’t mean you don’t have anything planned on your first couple days, but perhaps instead of going island hopping on your first day, have a leisurely walk around your new neighbourhood and explore the nearby shops. When you take a moment on the first day to take it slow, you get a chance to get organized, taking in the city at a good pace. It’s also nice to get into that mindset of slow living and feel what it’s like to live like a local in your destination city.

2. Get Sunlight First Thing

Depending on what time you arrive at your destination city, try to get outside in the sun when it’s morning. As in, no matter how mis-matched your timezone is, try not to sleep in past noon. Do your best in matching to your new time zone right away. Your body’s internal clock will slowly adjust as you see sunlight each morning.

3. Sleep Hygiene on your Flight

Take a look at your flight itinerary and note when you will be arriving to your destination city. For example, if you are arriving at 7:00 am, then try to get some sleep prior to landing. When you arrive at your destination, hopefully you will have caught some shut eye, and I would say try to stay up as long as you can that morning to keep with the new time zone.

In addition, when booking your flight, see if you can arrive at your destination when it’s time for you to wake up. This will help you accommodate a bit better because when you are seeing sunlight first thing, it can help to reset your body’s internal clock.

4. Pack your On-Flight Essentials

Pack your carry-on to allow for the best comfort on your flight. Having all your essentials can help you with getting a good sleep and staying rested on your long flight to Asia. I’ve written everything you need to know about how to travel comfortably for a long-haul flight here:

4. Optimizing your Sleep Schedule

It may be really tempting to go out all night because you are feeling awake and can’t sleep, but it’ll slow down your ability to accommodate to the time zone. Always try to maintain the same waking and sleeping hours at your destination city.

If you are feeling like you need a mid-day nap, minimize those sleeps to a 15-20 minute power nap instead. If you can’t sleep at night, maybe curl up to a book or complete your night time routine with a meditation or gentle yoga session for relaxation.

5. Maintain your Morning Routines

We are all creatures of habit and if you’re like me, have a morning routine that is your non-negotiable. It helps me to set my intentions for the day and keeps me refreshed for the day ahead. My morning routine changes from time to time, but is often a combination of a gentle morning stretch, journalling and making my favourite cup of coffee.

When you maintain the regular routines of home, it can help you settle into your new time zone a bit quicker.

6. Stay Hydrated & Avoid Caffeine

Staying hydrated during a long flight is beneficial for your long term health, especially on a long-haul flight. You’ll want to bring your own water bottle, as you can rehydrate any time on the flight and especially when making your way around Asia in the hot humid weather.

If caffeine is something that you’re sensitive to, make sure you’re thoughtful about when you’re having caffeine to avoid it disrupting your sleep when you need to be getting some shut eye prior to landing.

7. Adjust your Meal Schedule

When you arrive to your destination city, take it slow with the meals by eating small meals through the day. In addition to your sleep/wake cycle, your body’s digestive system will also need to get adjusted as well.

Planning your meals strategically can also help you overcome jet lag symptoms like upset stomach and nausea. When I was on my overnight flight leaving Vancouver to Taiwan, they started serving dinner at 2:30 am (Vancouver time). This can cause stomach upsets if you’re not used to eating at strange times, so I’d suggest either eating small meals, saving your food for a bit later or bringing your own snacks/food on the plane incase you sleep through the in-flight service.

8. Take Time Off When Coming Home

Just like arriving to your destination city and taking it slow the first couple days, I would recommend you do the same thing when arriving home. Don’t plan to get home on Sunday to then head right back into work on Monday morning. Plan some time at home for you to get used to your days and regular routines.

It’s also nice to have a couple days to unpack, do laundry and grocery shop for the week ahead. You may not be the most alert and be your best self if you are both jet lagged and have to attend that 8:00 am morning meeting.