Beating jet lag on your next flight to Australia

TRAVELLING to Australia involves a serious long-haul flight, and with all long-haul flights comes the dreaded jet lag. Unfortunately, this messing-up of your body clock is unavoidable, but there are plenty of things that you can do to keep those jet lag effects to a minimum. DialAFlight have compiled an anti-jet lag guide for UK-based Aussies, designed to help you have a more comfortable trip the next time you fly back home.

Before take-off

You can help to beat jet lag before you’ve even booked your flights. When it comes to booking tickets, premium seats may be more expensive, but that extra leg room and more comfortable seating can make all the difference when it comes to flying long-haul. If you’re looking for a flight to Sydney or any other major Australian airport, look out for discounted premium seats on specialist sites like DialAFlight.

Travellers that are heading back to Australia as part of an extended trip or round the world flight may be able to choose their direction of travel. Believe it or not, the direction that you travel in can have a big bearing on the level of jet lag that you’ll encounter. Travelling east is worse for jet lag than travelling west, so bear this fact in mind when it comes to booking flights.

When you’re flying east, you can help to prepare your body clock by trying to get to bed a little earlier for a few nights before you fly out. When you’re flying west, you should try to go to bed a little later. And the night before your flight, try to get a good night’s sleep, as your body will cope better with the time changes when it is well rested.

On the flight

Resetting your watch or phone to Australia time when you get on the plane can help you to prepare for your new time schedule psychologically. Try as best you can to stay awake until your newly set watch tells you its bedtime. It’s easier said than done, but watching an inflight movie or two and getting up to walk around the plane can help fend of sleepiness.

Keeping properly hydrated while onboard is one of the best things you can do for your body to help it beat the jet lag. Drink plenty of water to help combat the effects of inflight air conditioning, bloatedness, and discomfort, and you’ll sleep better on the flight too.