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OT: Jet lag help

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Hello from Norway.

I helped plan a trip for my wife and to visit many towns in Norway where her ancestors were from.

We’ve planned this trip for months. After no sleep on the red eye, I’m 36 hours without sleep, it’s 11:30 pm local time and wide awake, so loopy and anxious I’m like delirious. On the other hand, my wife is sleeping soundly.

Any suggestions from regular overseas travelers to help with this? I want to be in the moment and enjoy the trip but I’m off to a rough start.
 

uconnbill

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Take some melatonin like 6mg that should help you get some rest
 

TerryBoyz

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Been to London about a dozen times.m and here is my system
eat small dinners and wake up hungry for the 1st few dAys
Coffee
Workout in the morning for the first few days
Coffee
Light exercise at night
My MO is to take the beating in the beginning.
You can’t avoid jet lag so don’t stretch it out.
 

Chin Diesel

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Got a few trips to Europe under my belt. Absolutely sucks when you don't get any sleep on flights.

I'd recommend laying down, closing eyes and just not moving. If you don't have melatonin or any other sleep aid, you're not going to readily find it at this hour.

It'll take you a few hours to get a buzz going in which case you're out more sleep hours.

At this point you are trying to mitigate your sleep loss. You are behind the curve ball. After laying down (regardless of whether you sleep or not), totally agree on the exercise part in the AM.
 

cohenzone

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Try a couple of glasses of wine. Even a few hours of sleep will help and then tomorrow try to stay awake as long as you can. I assume it’s a long daylight period in Norway right now. Hopefully you have room darkening shades or blinds. First few days can be tough. I always find coming home harder, get sleepy too early. Hopefully you’re including the spectacular fjords.
 
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This trick won't help you at 11 PM but tomorrow morning....

One of the simpliest ways to reset your body clock is to close your eyes and look directly at the sun in the morning. 30-60 seconds ought to do it. It's not the only thing to do but it helps.
 
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Rocket009

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My trips to Europe usually went without much sleep on the flight, then I would be wide awake at about 3:00 am. My Dr suggested taking 1/2 an Ambien if I woke early. Works like a charm. Usually only need to take it one to two days and then you get into a better sleep cycle.
 
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Mid-summer Oslo days screw with the mind more than overreactions to mere 8 hour flights. Cohen’s correct, have a few drinks, set the alarm early, immediately get up early, work out early and/or get out in the sun early, stay active throughout the day, get some caffeine a few times, again stay active, eat dinner with a few drinks, crash and burn 1st-2nd day, repeat exercise, sunlight, active, etc
 
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Frequent overseas travels. Unfortunately u r having a rough start. Agree with all above. Wine melatonin ambien. Make sure room is DARK and COLD! Have caffeine in the am and bright light. Get inside next evening early out of light Pasta and red wine and to bed by 9
 

Chin Diesel

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To help you out on the return leg back to the states.........I always find having several drinks in the airport prior to boarding to "help" make sure I get some rest on the plane.
As far as I know, you can use acquired points to buy a day pass to the airline's lounge even if you are flying economy. That is a great investment to get relaxed prior to the flight, have some snacks and get complimentary drinks.
 
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Thanks guys. I think just having a forum to get it off my chest was really helpful. Started sleeping soundly around 1 and now up at 9. Very much tired but worlds better than yesterday.
 

Fishy

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I am going to Stavanger next week.

I don't/can't nap and there's virtually zero chance I will fall asleep for any period of time on the plane.

I cannot image what I'm going to be like for the first few days.
 
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Got a few trips to Europe under my belt. Absolutely sucks when you don't get any sleep on flights.

I'd recommend laying down, closing eyes and just not moving. If you don't have melatonin or any other sleep aid, you're not going to readily find it at this hour.

It'll take you a few hours to get a buzz going in which case you're out more sleep hours.

At this point you are trying to mitigate your sleep loss. You are behind the curve ball. After laying down (regardless of whether you sleep or not), totally agree on the exercise part in the AM.
This was the game changer for me. Laying down and falling in and out of sleep from like 11 to 1 and then slept pretty much soundly til 9. Not bad for the first night.

I'm definitely out of it and my stomach is kinda messed up but could be worse. Nothing will compare to my Philippines trip!
 

Chin Diesel

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This was the game changer for me. Laying down and falling in and out of sleep from like 11 to 1 and then slept pretty much soundly til 9. Not bad for the first night.

I'm definitely out of it and my stomach is kinda messed up but could be worse. Nothing will compare to my Philippines trip!

Glad it helped and good luck tonight.
 
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Critical: Don’t nap.
Stay awake till 9:00pm local
Have a few drinks and a melatonin at 9:00
Don’t turn on tv at 2:00 am when you wake up
Repeat for 3 nights and you’re adjusted
 

8893

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I am going to Stavanger next week.

I don't/can't nap and there's virtually zero chance I will fall asleep for any period of time on the plane.

I cannot image what I'm going to be like for the first few days.
That's what I feared for our first overseas trip with the family several years ago because I also don't/can't nap and never slept on planes, except red eyes when I was in first/business class on someone else's dime. We went to Italy and booked evening flights in hopes that we would all sleep on the plane and Mrs. 8893 packed Benedryl. A couple Benedryl and a couple drinks got me enough sleep on the plane to power through the first day in Rome, for which we had booked an afternoon Vatican tour and then had dinner in our neighborhood. I woke up before 5:00 a.m. the next day and went for a run, during which I got very lost and as a result ended up going a few miles longer than intended. Then we walked several miles that day for Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Pantheon tours; and then we did a night walk across Rome for several more miles. IIRC I logged around 16 miles that day. I didn't have any problems with jet lag after that.
 
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I am going to Stavanger next week.

I don't/can't nap and there's virtually zero chance I will fall asleep for any period of time on the plane.

I cannot image what I'm going to be like for the first few days.
Try Melatonin. 5-10 mg.
 
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I am going to Stavanger next week.

I don't/can't nap and there's virtually zero chance I will fall asleep for any period of time on the plane.

I cannot image what I'm going to be like for the first few days.
I've been to Stavanger a couple times for work. Beautiful area. Make sure you climb up to the Pulpit Rock.

As for the sleeping part I just got back from a week in Australia. It wasn't so bad going there as I was able to sleep for a few hours on the plane and forced myself to stay up as late as I could. Still woke up every day at 3:00 am. The trip back was harder though. Made it home late at night with very little sleep over 36 hours and just laid in bed for 4 hours before finally falling asleep (and then being woken up by kids a couple hours later).
 

temery

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I am going to Stavanger next week.

I don't/can't nap and there's virtually zero chance I will fall asleep for any period of time on the plane.

I cannot image what I'm going to be like for the first few days.

I think you actually have to sleep to get jet lag, but thanks for the warning.
 
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I am going to Stavanger next week.

I don't/can't nap and there's virtually zero chance I will fall asleep for any period of time on the plane.

I cannot image what I'm going to be like for the first few days.

I'm usually asleep before the plane takes off.
 

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