I Tried a Jet Lag Plan for Race Journey—Here’s What Labored

Even if I don’t at all times go to sleep in a aircraft, at the least I’m fortunate that, at 5’4”, I’m decently compact and may fold myself right into a pretzel even within the narrowest economic system seat. I’m additionally fairly sure that it’s not a perfect form to remain in for hours when touring to a race. My newest one, the SeaWheeze Half Marathon, is on the West Coast in Vancouver, British Columbia, whereas I’m based mostly on the East Coast in Easton, Pennsylvania—which places a six-hour flight and three time zones between me and the beginning line.

I’m from the Czech Republic, a rustic in central Europe six time zones east of my present dwelling, which I go to at the least yearly, so I do know from expertise simply how badly my physique reacts to jet lag and air journey. Over the years, I’ve picked up just a few methods, however I by no means actually researched the subject.

I made a decision to go after a PR at this race, so to set myself up for achievement, I made a decision to really put together this time: I spoke to a run coach, a registered dietitian, and a sleep specialist to determine all of the dos and don’ts whereas touring for races.

Eat Smart

We most likely all know by now that air journey causes dehydration. The cabin air lacks moisture, inflicting humidity to drop very low and, in flip, your physique to lose water rapidly. “Staying hydrated is important for air travel, so including foods that have a high water content can help,” says Namrita Brooke, PhD, RDN, an endurance sport coach and sport nutritionist. “For example, before you fly, have a variety of fruits, fresh and grilled/roasted veggies, and lean protein with plenty of fluids.” And at all times hold a bottle of water with you to assist preserve hydration, she provides.

In phrases of meals, from what could be discovered at airports and nonetheless offers larger dietary high quality, Brooke recommends consuming rooster, pasta, fruit, nuts, cheese, and yogurt. “Take some energy bars, pretzels, trail mix, rice cakes, and also carbohydrate-based snacks in case you get delayed,” she says.

Avoid extremely processed and fried meals. And persist with meals you realize agree with you. Just as is true about race day, this isn’t the time to attempt new issues.

Once you get to your last vacation spot, “establish your routine in the local time zone as quickly as possible, including sleep and meal times,” Brooke says. “Avoid using too much caffeine as you adjust; focus on hydration, regular meal intake, and reducing stressful variables.”

Remember to Move

To state the apparent, a aircraft just isn’t precisely movement-friendly. While a little bit of strolling via the aisle occasionally is right, there are additionally small actions you are able to do whereas seated. “Calf raises/ankle circles/toe pointing in your seat at 60-to-90-minute intervals will help on long flights,” says Laura Norris, a Seattle-based licensed private coach and run coach with an MS in utilized train science. Taking a red-eye? “Most people do not sleep well on [those] flights, but if you do, you should still try to move during waking hours on the flight—especially if in economy.” Norris additionally recommends carrying compression socks, notably if there’s any household historical past or private danger for deep vein thrombosis.

After touchdown, a well-timed shakeout run may very well be all of your legs want. “Most runners will arrive jet-lagged and tired; the first focus should be on getting settled and eating, especially if food was limited on the flight,” says Norris. “If it is early in the day, a shakeout run of about 20 minutes easy may help. However, if it is later in the day, then a shakeout run could disturb sleep, and would be better done the following day—assuming the following day is not race day.” In that case, a fast stroll after the flight might be adequate to assist with blood circulation via the legs, she provides.

Just ensure you don’t overcompensate for all of the hours of not transferring. Resist the urge to do a lot of sightseeing. “Too much time on your feet can be fatiguing, especially with jet lag in the mix,” Norris says. Save the vacationer stuff for after the race.

And Finally, Prioritize Sleep

Nothing else issues as a lot as getting sufficient shuteye. And how a lot of it you’ll seemingly get whereas adjusting to a brand new time zone has to do along with your pure chronotype, your physique’s built-in choice for when to sleep and get up. “Night owls are naturally better at adjusting to new time zones in the westbound direction, and morning larks are better at adjusting when travelling eastward,” says Jeffrey Dormer, MD, PhD, a techniques neuroscientist, neurologist, and sleep medication doctor. “Implementing a scheduled shift in your circadian phase ahead of time can make a big difference [if you have] a genetic predisposition for late nights or early mornings.” The rule of thumb is that for each time zone you cross, your circadian rhythm wants a day to regulate, Dormer provides.

Cheri D. Mah, a sleep doctor and analysis scientist who makes a speciality of sleep optimization and maximizing efficiency for elite athletes and sports activities organizations, spoke in regards to the significance of getting a plan for each journey in a 2024 interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast. “Most people have no strategies in place when they travel; they just get onto an airplane, get to a new location and try to adjust when they get there…” Mah stated. You wish to have at the least a method for pre-flight, inflight and post-flight, she stated. “That will set [you] up better to minimize jetlag and travel fatigue, and ultimately be able to acclimate faster if you’re crossing multiple time zones.”

Regarding pre-flight, it is best to, for instance, not panic-pack the evening earlier than your departure, as staying up late will intrude with the final good evening of sleep you’ll have earlier than touring. “If you get insufficient sleep before you get onto the airplane, jet lag will be worse, and the travel fatigue can feel much more robust,” Mah stated.

For flights that cross fewer than 4 time zones, Dormer recommends beginning to function on the time of your vacation spot as quickly as you board. “If you leave at noon and that’s 4 p.m. at your destination, function on the plane and while travelling as if you left at 4 p.m. and adjust your behavior accordingly,” he says, doing what you’d usually do at the moment when it comes to consuming, ingesting caffeine, or sleeping. For flights that cross greater than 5 time zones, attempt to arrive at your vacation spot initially of the day if doable. “This way you can take advantage of sunlight and other circadian cues for wakefulness. The principle is that staying awake is easier than forcing yourself to sleep.”

For the time spent on board, Dormer recommends constructing a journey sleep equipment: earplugs, eye masks, noise-canceling headphones, journey pillow, and gown comfortably. “If sleeping on the plane is part of your strategy to adjust to your new location, [use] sleep-promoting cues and avoid wake-promoting cues in the hours leading up to your intended sleep time,” he says, including that it is best to keep away from extreme gentle, for instance, consuming minimally, and decreasing train. “In all cases, try to avoid alcohol because it not only dehydrates you more than flying does alone, but it also causes imbalances in your gut and nervous system that make adapting to a new time zone more difficult,” he says.

Melatonin could be useful below sure particular tips, Dormer says. “If you use 500 micrograms (0.5 mg) or less approximately five hours before your intended sleep time, it can help your natural circadian rhythm shift to the new sleep time,” he says. “It will not make you fall asleep [like prescription Z-drugs], but it will accentuate your natural drives for sleep.” For the complement to work, it is best to keep away from gentle and some other actions in these 5 hours main as much as your supposed sleep time, Dormer provides.

Have you heard of a “nappuccino”?
Power naps and well-timed caffeine are each nice methods to recuperate quicker from jet lag—and so they work even higher when mixed. Here’s Mah’s tip: Start by ingesting your favourite caffeinated beverage. “The caffeine will start to kick in about 15 minutes, and then you go and take your 20-30 minute power nap,” Mah stated. “If you’re able to fall asleep within the 5-10 minutes before the caffeine will start to come on board, then when you wake up after the 20-30 minutes, bam!—both the caffeine and the power nap will have kicked in and there is a research that shows that that’s more effective for alertness and performance improvement for a couple of hours than if you only did the caffeine alone or only did the power nap alone.”

In the tip, crucial journey instrument is gentle publicity. “Seeking light, that is the most powerful signal to your brain to help shift your body clock,” Mah stated, including that bringing sun shades helps keep away from daylight at occasions when it’s not desired.

See the Results

As I settle into my most well-liked window seat (so I can co-pilot and examine on the aircraft anytime we lose as little as a foot in altitude), I begin my aircraft routine: I insert energetic noise cancellation headphones into my ears, take off my sneakers and placed on my compression socks. I place my massive water bottle within the pocket in entrance of me with the hope I’ll end it earlier than we land (to the seemingly annoyance of my next-seat neighbor, who should rise up each time I would like to make use of the restroom). I begin to mentally function on West Coast time as quickly as I buckle up. With that, I’m prepared for takeoff.

After dropping off my suitcase on the lodge (which I didn’t pack the evening earlier than for the primary time in my private touring historical past), I take a stroll round Stanley Park and stroll within the solar till nightfall to assist my physique talk to my circadian rhythm that we’re not on our dwelling turf.

Two days later, not solely did I end my race in 1:49:14 and PR’d, however my legs felt nice, my physique effectively adjusted, my thoughts current and awake. The miles felt easy.

I can not hyperlink my race success purely to my improved journey technique, however I consider it performed an enormous position, and I’m prepared to use it to my red-eye flight again dwelling, hoping it’ll do the identical wonders when touring east.

Pavlína Černá, an RRCA-certified run coach and biking fanatic, has been with Runner’s World, Bicycling, and Popular Mechanics since August 2021. When she doesn’t edit, she writes; when she doesn’t write, she reads or interprets. In no matter time she has left, yow will discover her exterior working, driving, or roller-skating to the beat of one of many many audiobooks on her TBL record.