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Travel & jet lag

BEST TRAVEL HACKS

Make traveling as easy as possible by eliminating stress, jet lag and the need to carry luggage. A minimalist attitude makes traveling significantly simpler. Only pack the necessary hand luggage.


The packing list of a knowledge worker:

  • Waterproof backpack or shoulder bag (max. 55 cm x 35 cm x 20 cm / 21.5” x 14” x 8”)
  • Vacuum or compression bags to minimize the space required for clothes
  • 1l (1 quart) zip-lock bag for liquids
  • Transparent 30–100 ml (1–3.4 fl oz) containers and bottles for liquid cosmetics, dietary supplements and food; make sure they fit into the zip-lock bag (leave the original packaging at home and only pack the necessary amounts or buy them at the destination)
  • A cable lock to deter bag theft in public spaces, transportation, hotels, etc.
  • An RFID-blocking wallet for cards and passport
  • Ballpoint pen
  • Chopsticks or spork
  • Adapters for various electric plugs (depending on the destination) and the necessary cables (USB, phone chargers, etc.) in a protective pouch
  • Antibacterial and wrinkle-resistant underwear and t-shirts (easy to wash out in a hotel room sink), two of each
  • Second pair of trousers or a skirt if the trip is longer than a week
  • Sunglasses or blue light-blocking glasses in a lightweight case
  • Lightweight sneakers that are also suitable for sports
  • For men: shorts that double as swimwear
  • Smartphone and/or tablet replaces a camera, travel guides, books, maps, etc.
  • Sleeping mask and earplugs (airplane version) or noise-canceling headphones
  • Cable ties, elastic bands, etc. to tie cables together
  • Black electrical tape to cover LEDs in the hotel room
  • Lightweight rain poncho or a small umbrella
  • Lightweight thermos for coffee, tea, and water
  • Lightweight day bagWear a long-sleeve shirt, jacket and a hat, if applicable. Roll your clothes to minimize wrinkling. Favor dark-colored clothes that are easy to combine and do not show stains.

How to survive in the airport

  • Always check in online the day before the flight
  • Do not check bags to avoid stress and standing in queues
  • Place your jewelry and belt in your bag in anticipation of the security check
  • Acquire an elite-level frequent flyer card – you get a fast-track security check and may be able to get some rest in the business lounge
  • Only fill your water bottle after the security check
  • Secure the network connection on all of your devices using a VPN
  • When the screen tells you to go to the gate, note that the boarding time is usually several minutes away. When boarding is underway, sit down and do something useful instead of standing in line. Often the boarding process takes at least 10 minutes.
  • Pack your snacks or fast to avoid low-quality food
  • If possible, choose a special meal – you will be served first and often the food is fresher as well
  • Go to the toilet before boarding
  • Wait to exchange currency at your destination (the exchange rate in-town is usually better)
  • Purchase roaming or local SIM card for your phone

Optimize sleeping in the airplane

A flight is a chance to make up for lost sleep, but many have found it easier said than done. Below, we have collected several tips that might make it easier to sleep in an airplane (or other modes of transportation):

  • Avoid stimulants like coffee approximately 6 hours before the flight.
  • Use the toilet immediately upon boarding.
  • Choose a window seat. This way you don’t have to make room for passengers who wish to use the toilet.
  • Make more legroom by selecting a seat in the Exit row, or use websites that help you pick the ideal plane seat.
  • Avoid noisy seats immediately adjacent to the toilet or the plane’s engines.
  • Dress comfortably. Wear a warm hat and replace your shoes with woolen or flight socks.
  • Try supplements to improve the ability to fall asleep, such as L-theanine and melatonin.
  • Tell the flight attendant and the person next to you that you intend to sleep and do not wish to be disturbed.
  • Remove all disturbances by wearing a sleeping mask and earplugs. From our experience, noise-canceling headphones with proper earmuffs work even better.
Try to fall asleep the moment you board the plane. Takeoff and the initial ascent usually last long enough so that by the time the food arrives you feel already well-rested. However, do not adjust the backrest of the seat into a reclining position, and do not forget to fasten the seatbelt, as otherwise the flight attendant may feel compelled to wake you up. This applies to landing: learn to sleep with your backrest in a vertical position and the seatbelt fastened.

RECOVERING FROM JET LAG

Jet lag is a disruption in regulating an individual's internal clock and circadian rhythm. Jet lag disrupts the regulation of an individual's sleeping pattern. It occurs particularly in the elderly. Jet lag occurs when a person travels through several (usually more than three) time zones. The greater the time difference, the worse the jet lag. The day cycle of our internal clock is slightly longer than 24 hours (24 h 11 min), making it generally easier to travel east to west than in the opposite direction.


The symptoms are caused by a conflict between the sleep-wake cycle and other cycles occurring in the body (such as the hormonal cycle). In addition to sleep disruptions, jet lag may cause symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, intestinal complaints, dizziness, headaches, swelling, irritability and a general deterioration in performance.


According to an international review conducted in 1994, up to 90 % of flight attendants suffer from fatigue associated with jet lag for five days after long-haul flights, and 94 % report having experienced impaired sleep quality and a lack of energy. Constant changes in the circadian rhythm and exposure to jet lag may be a predisposing factor for impaired cognitive functions, mood disorders, sleep problems, and even heart disease, metabolic disorders and cancer.

FLYING EAST TO WEST

Adjusting to the time difference is easier when flying east to the west as extending one’s internal day cycle is easier than shortening it. For example, when flying from Europe to the United States East Coast, the time difference is between five to seven hours. When flying east to west, the sleep-wake cycle adjusts to the new time in increments of 2–3 hours per day. Highly adaptable individuals may be able to adjust fully within a couple of days.


Therefore sleeping on an overnight flight from Europe to New York is not advised – the best strategy is to stay awake and go to bed immediately upon arrival at the destination late at night (e.g. when it’s 6 AM in Paris and 10 PM in New York).

FLYING WEST TO EAST

When traveling west to east, the best strategy is to adjust one’s sleeping pattern before departure by going to bed a few hours earlier. This makes it easier to fall asleep on the plane. Eastward flights (e.g. from New York to Helsinki) often depart in the afternoon or evening and arrive in the morning. In such cases, it is advisable to sleep on the plane (see section “Sleeping on an airplane” in the Sleep chapter of the Biohacker's Handbook). Immediately sunlight exposure and exercise may facilitate adjusting to the new rhythm at the destination. They have also been found to be effective in syncing the circadian rhythm.

To minimize jet lag, avoid:

  • Alcohol
  • Sleeping pills
  • Caffeine and chocolate for 5–8 hours before bedtime
  • Poorly timed sunlight (during the evening or night-time hours in the destination time zone)

To minimize jet lag, try:

  • Adequate and appropriate mineral-rich hydration ((minimum 60 fl oz/pound of body weight/day)
  • Special trick: soaked chia seeds or cucumber
  • Fasting or intermittent fasting (14–24 hours before the first meal in the destination timezone). You should do this for approximately a week before departure to give the body time to adjust to fasting.
  • If you are not sleeping during the flight, get up and move. This boosts lymphatic and blood circulation.
  • Wearing compression socks or trousers during the flight improves circulation and reduces swelling
  • Exercising in the sun at the destination (if arriving in the morning or afternoon). Bodyweight training and/or walking is recommended.
  • Grounding immediately upon arrival at the destination (e.g., walking barefoot in the grass or sand; swimming is also a good option). This helps the body recover from the stress caused by the flight (may reduce inflammation, boost circulation and reduce stress levels).
  • 50 mg of pycnogenol three times daily for a total of seven days. Start two days before flying.
  • Take melatonin at the appropriate time (when it is the evening at the destination) – the dose depends on the genotype of the MTNR1B gene which affects melatonin metabolism. If you are of the GG genotype, take just 10 % of the normal dose (e.g. 0.3 mg vs. 3 mg). Do not eat anything for 8 hours after taking melatonin.
  • Do not sleep immediately upon arrival (unless it is evening or night-time at the destination). Try to stay awake until nighttime. If you must sleep, take a short 20- to 40-minute nap. Sleeping for several hours during the day makes adjusting to the new time zone more difficult.