jetlag

[ohbigdaddio]

I've never had jetlag but am planning my first long haul trip and was wondering whether I should allow a day (or more?) at the beginning of the trip to recover? It's a retreat so I want to participate fully but worried I'll be knackered! The time difference is 4.5 hours ahead of UK and flying time will be roughly 13-16 hours. Any thoughts gratefully received!

It depends on the direction I am flying whether I get jet lag. Traveling east I usually get it, if I try to stay awake when I arrive until it's local time for bed that helps. Coming home (or flying west) I never really get it.

Also depends on timing of flight if you are heading west and get there in time for bed that's good.
If you're heading east and arrive in the morning after travelling overnight that's usually not good unless by some miracle you sleep well on the plane.

I travel long haul regularly (east wards).
I tend to stay up the whole night before (i.e. get up on day 1, stay up, don't go to bed, fly following day, arrive following morning, local time).

You are usually so knackered you can sleep then, and you'll have enough in the tank +adrenaline to see you through to bedtime. And of course my usual advice which is to strongly consider stumping up for lie flat/bus class. It really does have a hell of an impact, given you need to be on point for the retreat at your destination. I now consider it money well spent and would prefer to go away less frequently but in nicer style.

Advice is usually a day per time zone to get over jet lag.

Thanks all. Not sure I can afford business class ShotsFired but will look at prices! The retreat is ongoing so you join at any time so maybe if I go for 7 days and expect to feel tired/out of it for the first 2 days maybe(?) and then have 5 good days? Again, not sure on this as have never had jet lag!

I regularly travel 27 hours long haul without any sleep. Just try and stick to your arrival time zone and ignore your leaving time zone. So if you arrive at 3pm stay awake until 9pm then just sleep like normal. Next day no problem.

@ShotsFired are you sure it's a day over time zone? In which case it should take me anything between 11 and 13 days to get over a NZ to UK flight? Can't say I've been affected more than a day and I've taken scores of them

yes, that's the rough guideline, but everyone's different. It affects me differently each way, but there you go....