5 Ways to Adjust to A New Time Zone

I spent most of the weekend trying to plan my trip to Australia for the fall. One of the biggest pitfalls of traveling to Australia or New Zealand is that you lose almost two days traveling there. Midnight (12am) on the East Coast is 3pm in Sydney, almost 15 hours ahead.

www.worldtimezone.com 

Typically, when I travel, I am not effected by the difference in time. My body adjusts with minimal interference. That was until I traveled to Tokyo. While in Tokyo, I was fine, but when I got home my body took a week to readjust. Sleeping at 5pm and working at 1am was the norm. FYI, Tokyo is 2 hours ahead of Sydney.

A few month's ago, Men's Health had a great piece on 5 Ways to Adjust to A New Time Zone. Unfortunately, I can't find an online version. Luckily I ripped it out of the magazine.

1. Plane Time is Sleep Time

Nap as much as you can on board in both directions. Don't try to eat bad food or watch bad movies. Sit by the window so seatmates don't bother you. Use and eye mask and noise-canceling headphones. Wheels up, eyes closed.


2. Drink Up

Stay hydrated. That means no alcohol, which will only make you dehydrated and groggy and rob you of relaxing sleep. You don't want to land hungover without the bonus of having earned it with a wild night out.


3. Make the First Day Work

Assume local time immediately and fight to stay awake as long as you can.  The longer you make it, the easier the transition.


4. Step away from the bed.

If you're in your hotel and it's not close to nighttime. Never sit on the bed. If you do, you're done.


5. Return home right

Force yourself onto your normal schedule. The longer you allow yourself to stay in another time zone, the longer you miss out on life at home.


I am going to try these when I travel to Australia. Will they work? I'll report back.

Do you have any tips to beat adjustments to time?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                    Follow us on Twitter @doit4thepoints!