My approach to jet lag has never been terribly scientific. For umpteen years of fashion shows in Europe, my plan was simple: Pop half an Ambien on the plane after takeoff, sleep a few hours, shower quickly at the hotel, and teeter from back-to-back shows straight through dinner. If I was lucky, I’d be in bed by midnight. And it worked — until the afternoon of day two, when I’d settle into Fashion Week’s comfiest chair at the Armani theater. The lights would go down, and so would I. Instead of admitting I was jet-lagged, I just self-medicated with espresso and concealer.
On a trip to Japan last week, I was worried about what jet lag could do to me. I’ll spare you the Lost in Translation cliché. The purpose of my trip was to make a speech for Shiseido about changing attitudes toward beauty. I needed to be sharp, witty, or, at the very least, coherent. I couldn't risk being a zombie.
When I consulted a legitimate doctor, Noel Taylor, about legitimate Ambien, she told me she used StopJetLag.com for a trip to the Maldives and sailed through the vacation without a hiccup. No Ambien needed.
"My schedule was pretty much nonstop from then on, and I didn’t drool or pass out once. In fact, I felt almost obnoxiously perky every day until bedtime."
StopJetLag calculates a schedule of meals, caffeine, light exposure, sleep, and melatonin supplements based on your flight time and destination. For me, that meant a high-protein breakfast and lunch the day before my departure, and then no caffeine and light meals on the morning of my flight. I nodded off in the airport lounge and fell asleep immediately after takeoff. I dozed a good eight hours, switched my watch 13 hours ahead to Japan time, and ate nothing on the plane until hour ten. When I arrived at my hotel around 5 p.m., I took a shower and made a reservation at a sushi bar for 8:30 p.m. Back at the hotel at 11, I popped a melatonin pill and slept until 6:30 a.m., which is more sleep than I get at home. My schedule was pretty much nonstop from then on, and I didn’t drool or pass out once. In fact, I felt almost obnoxiously perky every day until bedtime.
"It was practically a miracle."
On the return trip I was able to sleep eight hours on the plane, following my StopJetLag plan, and had no food until breakfast on New York time. I resisted the urge for a welcome-home soy latte — the first day back is a no-caffeine day — and a long afternoon nap. And even though I was groggy and a little stupid for a few days, I managed to stay awake until 11 every night. It was practically a miracle.
Make your next trip more enjoyable and productive without wasting your valuable time experiencing jet lag.
Stop guessing about the best timing for all the major jet lag influences on your trip.
No matter what flights you have booked, a StopJetLag team member will carefully look at your specific trip. And only after evaluating how your flights are best coordinated with these natural jet lag influences will your StopJetLag Plan be created, reviewed and sent to you.
Primary delivery: Your StopJetLag Plan delivered as a PDF email attachment.
In addition your StopJetLag Plan can also be delivered to these mobile devices:
Mobile apps make using StopJetLag even more convenient.
There are no roaming charges. Download the app and your StopJetLag advice prior to flight. Internet access is not necessary inflight or on your trip.
Continue reading about the mobile apps...