Beat Jet Lag Like a Pro: 5 Game-Changing Tips for Long Flights

Long-distance travel can really wreak havoc on a trip. No matter which direction you're flying, you either lose hours getting there or feel completely wiped out coming home. I’ve learned I have to pack way more intentionally, especially for international trips where the little things matter. But honestly, the hardest part is the jet lag—it’s the worst. I’ve had trips where I lost whole days just trying to get my body to catch up. Not anymore!

So, how do you beat jet lag? Because there are ways of doing it. Here's how I go from home to a destination with an 8 hour time difference and immediately hit the ground running, stay for a week or more, then come home and go to work the next day:

Eat Healthfully

I’ve found that eating healthy before a trip makes a big difference in how I feel during and after the flight. Heavy meals tend to leave me feeling sluggish and drained, so I try to keep things light at least the day before, the day of, and even the day after a long flight. Lighter meals help me stay hydrated, give my body the nutrients it needs, and keep my energy up. Plus, I usually sleep way better on the plane when I’m not weighed down by a big meal.

I try to eat veggie-packed meals up to a week before my trip, as well as lighter meats if I have any. I skip eating too many carbs and opt for chicken or fish, because you don't need extra carbs for sitting. Avoid excessively salty or sweet foods. You'll feel better while traveling.

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!

Staying hydrated is always important, but make sure you drink as much water as possible on the day before, the day after, and during your flight. Being dehydrated saps your energy, and that can easily lead to jet lag or sickness, neither of which is enjoyable. If you get tired of water, add a flavor packet to your bottle of water or ask for tomato juice on your flight, which gives you extra veggies, plus the altitude changes the taste to your body, so if you don't think tomato juice sounds too yummy, you'll find it more tolerable at 30,000 ft. You can also invest in some Liquid IV to add electrolytes that your body can use to keep hydration levels up.

Skip the alcohol. I know a lot of people like to get a drink on the plane or at the bar before their flight, but that's not always conducive to a good travel experience. It might be fine for short flights, but when you're traveling long distance, alcohol can dehydrate you and disrupt your sleep pattern. It robs you of good REM sleep, which you need in order to feel rested. I would suggest skipping alcohol for the same time period that you're drinking extra water and eating extra well.

Tip: bring along a reusable water bottle and fill it before getting on the plane. Remember the ice, because warm water sucks. If your flight is extra long, bring a bottled water to refill it with. I say this, because the water on the plane is not something you want to drink, unless it comes from a brand new bottle or box of water, it probably came from the water tanks, which are notoriously hard to clean and harbor bacteria. It's why I also avoid getting ice in my drinks on board. You can then save money at your destination with your reusable water bottle and toting it around with you during the day. Get yourself a water bottle tote, like this one from Travelon, so you have hands free and have a pocket for little things like cash, lip balm, a few snacks, or your phone.

Get On Local Time

The best thing you can do to not get jet lag is to get on your new schedule as quickly as possible. If you're going from work to plane to destination, like I usually do, this can be more tricky, but I like to figure out what the time in my destination is, and then sleep on the plane as soon as I can to adjust my internal clock. 

The sooner you can get on your new schedule, the better. If you can do so before you leave home, that's optimal, but if you have to work and can't really do that, then start on your plane ride. Immediately figure out what the local time is and do what you normally do at that time. If it's time to sleep, then sleep, but if it's not, make yourself stay awake as much as possible. I take a quick nap, but occupy myself reading, watching a movie, playing a game or coming up with new post ideas (maybe you journal instead). If you are traveling with someone, break out a card game and make them play with you. In other words, keep your brain busy. 

When you get to your destination, stay on schedule. If it's daytime, do some sightseeing. If it's nighttime, then go to bed. Simple! And don't forget to eat on time. Have problems getting on a new schedule? Try a time adjusting app!

all my important airplane things: water bottle, travel pillow, and large wrap

Have a Sleeping Plan

This sounds stupid, but after losing a day and a half on a trip, I have planned very hard to make sure that never happens again. Sleeping your entire flight or staying awake your entire flight will not be your friend. I promise. On our flight to France, we had a bit of a split trip. We left in the evening, ate dinner before we boarded the plane, then slept as much as possible, then touched down in Baltimore early in the morning. 

We had most of the day to sightsee, so we dropped our carry-on bags at a local UPS Store through Bounce*, an app that finds you places that will store your bags for the day, and did a bunch of things until it was time to head back to the airport. We picked up our bags, got the train back to the airport, changed clothes, and checked in for our flight that took off in the evening. This part of our trip had two legs: Baltimore to Reykjavik, and Reykjavik to Paris. My plan for this part was to sleep the entire way to Reykjavik, then grab a light breakfast (we got coffee and a yogurt with fruit and granola) and maybe take a quick nap on the flight into Paris.

(*other luggage solutions you can use are Vertoe, Radical Storage, or Nanny Bag)

We arrived in Paris around 12 pm, which gave us time to get lunch, check into our rental, and get a bit of sightseeing, then get dinner and head to bed early to get a good night's sleep in an actual bed to start refreshed for the next day. I find that if you get about 5-6 hours of good sleep on the plane, then you have enough energy for that first day and sleep comes very easy that night, getting you on local time pretty easily.

Tip: Invest in a great travel pillow. I have never gotten good sleep with a crappy pillow. Having neck or back pain is not what I want to go into a trip with. Eric and I both have the FaceCradle. You can lean forward into it and it allows me to sleep like I would at home. Everyone is different though. If the FaceCradle isn't for you, maybe the Turtl, the twist memory foam, the evolution X from Cabeau, or the Somniwrap from Travelon will work for you instead.

Use A Light Sleep Aid

If you know you need a bit of a push sleeping on the plane, or at your destination, using a sleep aid is nothing to be ashamed of. I use Dream Water (gummies or the powder are easily transportable), but you can also take melatonin or use lavender oil to invoke sleepiness. I have a great pillow spray, which you could spray very lightly on your travel pillow or a scarf, probably before you leave home, so the smell has a chance to dissipate a little bit before you board the plane, because if the smell is too strong, everyone around you will hate you, especially people like me who have allergies. It also comes in a roll-on bottle. 

Now you have the knowledge and tools to get your best sleep and get on your new schedule as quickly as possible, so don't worry about losing time when you get on your vacation. You just have to figure out where you're going! 

Have you ever had a terrible trip because of bad jet lag?

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links that could result in monetary compensation for me should you make a purchase through them. This also allows me to keep this blog running, so thank you for supporting me in advance!

6 Affordable U.S. Summer Destinations

I don't always travel during the summer, because it can be really expensive. If I do, it's usually to Las Vegas for NBA Summer League games. Last year we went to Sacramento for a family reunion, and then to Denver for a few days before Eric's work conference. Those were both fairly affordable, since they were short breaks. 

If you also want to get away this summer, head to one of these destinations that can be perfect for families, as well as singles, couples, and friends who are looking to save money.  (I wrote about budget European trips in my recent newsletter. If you aren't subscribed, what are you waiting for?)

Bar Harbor, Maine

For the outdoorsy among you, Bar Harbor is full of things to do, many of which can be free or almost free, like exploring downtown, hiking Bar Island, learning about the local wildlife at the George B Dorr Museum of Natural History, or going on your own walking tour following "The Museum In the Streets" signs. You can even visit Acadia National Park for free if, instead of driving, you take the free Island Explorer shuttle. 

Winter Park, Colorado

Looking for a place to go that isn't oppressively hot? Skip Denver and head to Winter Park. Most known as a winter activities destination, it can be a great summer destination, because they have great hiking, ropes courses, climbing walls, and gondola rides. Hideaway Park has a ton of things to keep your kids busy for free. Every Tuesday in the summer you can enjoy Fraser Picnic in the Park live show, free concerts in Old Schoolhouse Park from 6-8pm that also brings in food trucks. Berthoud Pass is a great place to go stargazing, especially since Winter Park is far enough away from the big city light pollution.

Mackinac Island, Michigan

Leave your car behind and bike around Mackinac Island, because it's car-free! That means you won't spend any time stuck in traffic and can relax, while also getting fresh air and exercise. Aside from hiking and just generally recharging, you can visit America's oldest family-owned grocery store (Doud's Market), enjoy a picnic at Marquette Park, stroll through one (or all) of the cemeteries, take amazing pictures from Arch Rock, Sugar Loaf, and Crack-in-the-island, and then spend a bit of money visiting Fort Mackinac and the few museums on the island. 

San Diego, California

I love San Diego. You can spend days exploring Balboa Park's museums, you can also do all of the city's awesome things for less with GoCity San Diego. If you want to save a lot of cash, there are a ton of free things to do, too: Head to the Embarcadero to view a bunch of sculptures, admire Victorian architecture in the Gaslamp Quarter, spend the day at one of the many beaches, or go to Old Town where you can wander through some historic buildings, including the old jail/sheriff's museum.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

You might think all the great stuff is in Philly, which there is a lot of, but Pittsburgh is awesome in its own right and less popular, making it more affordable. The home of Fred Rogers has tons of hiking and biking along the Great Allegheny Passage, but city explorers can do a ton of free things, too. The Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium, the Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Garden, the Pittsburgh Botanic Garden, the Andy Warhol Museum, and even the Carnegie Museum of Natural History all have free admission.

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis is more than just the Arch, and can be great for those with kids or even on their own. Spend your money on amazing food and save by doing the many, many free things there: Citygarden Sculpture Park, Saint Louis Science Center, Museum a the Gateway Arch, Missouri History Museum, Saint Louis Art Museum, the historic Grant's Farm, Missouri Botanical Garden, and City Museum are just some of them.

There are so many ways to make an affordable trip cheaper, which means you can definitely stay within your budget, especially if you find a great deal on a flight or you are near enough to do a road trip. When we visit Vegas in the summer, the flights are fairly cheap, because no one likes 118-degree weather, and we offset expensive food with free and cheap activities, like the Flamingo Habitat and the Bellagio Conservatory.

Where are your favorite budget-friendly summer destinations? 

Disclaimer: Support Shereen Travels Cheap by using the links in my posts to shop. I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) so I can continue to create helpful free content. Thank you. I appreciate your support!

Affordable Ways to Make Your Trips More Eco-Friendly

As a budget traveler, it can be difficult to know how to save money and also do good by the planet. For Earth Month, I wanted to talk about some ways you can feel better about your travels and your carbon footprint, because we'd still like to be traveling decades from now. 

If you care about the Earth like a lot of us do, you probably worry how your trips are contributing to a lot of different kinds of pollution, including air, ocean, and even trash. Not everyone is going to be like me and pack home recyclables when you can't recycle on your trip (yes, I've done this with flat items like cardboard and plastics when I learned a place - what's up, Hawaii - doesn't recycle, but that's not really the best option, so here are some other ways to be eco-friendly on your travels:

This Cascade backpack from Portland Gear holds so much.

Pack Light

Am I a broken record when it comes to traveling with less stuff? You bet. You don't need everything from home with you on vacation. Choose a small mix-and-match wardrobe, do laundry if you need to, and even save money when you pack in just a carry-on. When traveling alone, I only carry what fits under my seat, including my big laptop. When traveling as a couple, we usually bring one big carry-on and two smaller personal items, but we've also travel with a backpack apiece. You're going to ask why you should pack light? I'll tell you! The less weight on a plane, the less fuel it uses to get to its destination.

Slow Travel

Instead of trying to pack as much as possible into a trip and visiting six countries in two weeks, choose just one or two destinations to explore. Slow travel helps you cut down on your carbon footprint, by avoiding unnecessary flying. You learn more about the places you visit this way, too. I'm often upset that I couldn't see everything in two weeks. I couldn't imagine planning a whole trip where I only have two or three days in a destination before moving on. Slow down. Enjoy one location for longer and really get a feel for that place.

Take Public Transportation or Walk

Public transportation is always more eco-friendly than taking cabs, ride-share or driving, so unless you are traveling as a family and it's cheaper to get a car, the bus or subway is always going to be a better option for the environment. I love the bus/train, because I get to see more the city than if I am driving. It gives me a chance to relax, as well. And if you want to be super good for the environment, pick a walkable city and pack some good walking shoes. You'll see more than you expected and different things, too.

Eat Local

A lot of destinations have the same problem we have in the US, in that they have a ton of chain restaurants and fast food joints that import food from their headquarters and end up being terrible for the environment. Choose local restaurants (and even small, locally-owned stores for shopping), as they generally get their food from as close to the community as possible. 

I will often hit up farmers' markets and food trucks. It's a great way to talk with locals and get snacks for your trip or try a lot of different foods for less that sitting down for a meal. One of my favorite destinations for eating local is Edinburgh. Almost all the restaurants you go to have maps showing you which farms their ingredients came from and many were less than 20 miles away.

Bring Reusable Items

Packing things that can be used well on your trip are great. I always take along a reusable water bottle, grocery bag (I like this multipurpose bag), and my own travel utensils. This way I stay hydrated, am ready to eat street food without disposable forks, have a bag for groceries, other shopping, and a spare bag for purchases when I'm on the way home. You can also get these rechargeable batteries for any electronics that need them. They don't lose energy after a ton of recharges and they come in any normal size you need. I'll be reviewing paleblue soon.

Fly Non-Stop

The fewer amount of flights you get on, the less pollution you contribute to the world. If you can afford to fly non-stop, chances are you are already on it, but if not, now you have another reason to choose that flight and you won't need to drag your stuff through another airport.

Respect Nature

This should be a given. Just don't treat the outside like a garbage dump. Throw your trash away in a can, recycle anything you are able to, leave nature in nature (like don't take home things like plants, sand, or rocks), don't bother animals, and stay on walking trails. 

A few easy changes to your travels can make them more eco-friendly and help you feel better about the choices you've made.  How do you do better for the environment while out in the world?

Disclaimer: Support Shereen Travels Cheap by using the links in my posts to shop. I receive a small commission (at no extra cost to you) so I can continue to create helpful free content. Thank you. I appreciate your support!