Minimizing Jet lag

Tip of the day: Minimize jet lag by sleeping 6 hours on your transatlantic flight to Europe.

The tricks -

on the flight:

1. eat your dinner, then prepare for sleep. Shut out light with a sleep or siesta mask.

2. shut out noise with earplugs.

3. make your neck/head comfortable with even the goofiest looking travel pillow that works for you.

4. use a prescription short acting sleep aid (if you are comfortable with this suggestion).

5. drink plenty of water when you wake up

upon arrival in Europe:

1. stay up all day

2. let light into your eyes by walking outdoors without sunglasses

3. eat meals on European time

When I made my first jaunts to Europe in my 20's, I received jet lag advice from a friend - a psychobiologist and sleep expert at the National Institutes of Health. I'm still following the advice and a few years later, ahem, I got off the plane ready to spend a full day in Amsterdam. Yes, we were tired and ready for bed that night - but staying up the first full day was possible because we had everything we needed to conk out on that flight overseas. It works.