11 Genius Ways Flight Attendants and Pilots Beat Jet Lag

Long flights are hard enough on the body. But the discomfort doesn’t end at the baggage carousel. Jet lag or desynchronosis can plague us long after we’ve arrived at our destination. It occurs when our internal body clock gets knocked for a loop if we travel over many time zones. Symptoms include insomnia, fatigue, irritability and more — and affects can last for several days. So, how do you beat jet lag? We asked the experts — flight crews. Their techniques vary, so we recommend you try each one to see which works best for you. Bon voyage!

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Pro jet lag tip: get some sleep

Most flight attendants and pilots recommend getting the right amount of sleep at the right time. Speaking to Insider, flight attendant Melanie Glessing explains that she tries to sleep as much as possible wherever she can. She says that on international flights, crews usually head to bed as soon as they arrive at their hotel. After two hours, they'll get up and continue with their day.

Remember, you can never get enough sleep!

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Pro jet lag tip: wait until bedtime in the new timezone

Another school of thought is to wait until it's nighttime in the new time zone before going to bed. Flight attendant Taylor Reynolds told Insider that her trick is to stay up until bedtime and then have a good night's sleep.

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Pro jet lag tip: the 10:30AM rule

Pilot Mark Vanhoenacker uses his 10:30AM rule to reduce his jet lag. He explained to the Daily Mail that If he gets home or to his hotel before 10:30AM, he'll sleep for a few hours, then get up and stay up until bedtime. If it's after 10:30AM, he'll force himself to stay up until a reasonable bedtime.

RELATED: expert sleeping hacks.

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Pro jet lag tip: get lots of daylight

Getting lots of daylight helps pilot Helen MacNamara beat jet lag. She told the Daily Mail that she recommends sitting outside in the bright sun even if your internal clock thinks it's midnight — and then going to sleep at bedtime.

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Pro jet lag tip: get some exercise

Many flight attendants also suggest getting some exercise if you're trying to stay awake until bedtime at your destination. Whether it's hitting the gym or going for a walk, just getting the blood pumping will help with fatigue. Speaking of working out, here are 15 big benefits of early morning exercise.

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Pro jet lag tip: consider your direction of travel

Speaking with the Daily Mail, pilot Kat Woodruffe says the direction you travel is an important consideration. Her method when travelling east is to avoid sleeping in. Whereas travelling west, stay up until a normal bedtime but do some kind of activity like sightseeing around 5PM, when you're likely to hit a wall.

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Pro jet lag tip: don’t sleep in

If you're trying not to sleep in, Kat Woodruffe also recommends keeping the curtains open so that the sun wakes you up. If you think it might not be enough to wake you, then set an alarm and place it across the room so you have to get up to turn it off.

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Pro jet lag tip: use an eye mask

An eye mask is another highly recommended solution from flight attendants and pilots. It helps you sleep on the plane and at your destination if it's too bright. You might also think about earplugs. You can find these and lots of other travel essentials at your local dollar store.

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Pro jet lag tip: train yourself

According to Well and Good, some flight attendants recommend preparing in advance for your destination's time zone. This could mean changing the time you go to bed in the days before you travel or even setting your watch to your destination's time zone.

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Pro jet lag tip: limit coffee

Cabin crew members agree that caffeine should be avoided. Flight attendant Camille John told the Daily Mail that while coffee can provide a jolt of energy, it can also make it hard to fall asleep when you want to. She suggests sticking with water. Here are some other ways to fight sleepiness and look awake.

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Pro jet lag tip: eat right

Healthy eating can help beat jet lag. As Well and Good says, avoid processed foods and those with lots of sugar. It can be difficult to find healthy fare on a plane, so bring your own. Don't forget to keep hydrated as well. If you want to get some shut-eye on your flight, here are 20 tricks falling asleep on a plane.