Long-distance plane journeys are infamous for being incredibly uncomfortable and laborious, but unfortunately, this along with long check-in queues, various security checks and small, claustrophobic spaces is something we have to endure to experience a luxury we so desperately want.

What we wish not to experience too badly is the jet lag that can come with this. Often experienced when travelling across multiple time-zones, jet lag is a common but short-lived sleep disorder. Over the last couple of years, as a population we have probably experienced less jet lag to various Covid-19 restrictions. A burden we have to encounter of long flights is the misalignment of our body’s body clock, or circadian rhythm, with the new time zone of our chosen location. According to Mayo Clinic, jet lag is often experienced within a day or two of your arrival, and when you’ve travelled across two or more time zones.

What Are the Symptoms of Jet Lag?

Sleeping Problems
There are various symptoms of jet lag, but the most common one is sleeping problems. For example, if you’ve travelled from England to China, you are experiencing an 8-hour time difference. 10pm in China is 2pm in England, and most people wouldn’t sleep at 2pm in the UK. Therefore, you would find it particularly hard to switch off when usually, you’d be at work or out doing various activities. You can also feel the effects when the time-zone is negative.

Most people find that their sleep is worse effected when travelling east.

Sleepiness
Feeling tired throughout the day is also a common symptom. You may have travelled to or travelled back from somewhere where you’d usually be asleep, but your new time-zone is in daylight hours, causing you drowsiness and daytime fatigue.

Clumsiness
The tiredness may have caught up with you and your thought processes may have slowed down, causing your attention span to slow down. This tiredness may translate into physical tiredness, and your performance and actions are diminished by exhaustion.

How Can You Prevent or Reduce the Feelings of Jet Lag?

Jet lag is often seen as something you can’t avoid when you’re travelling long-distance. Minimising the effects is something travellers try to optimise. They key of easing the feelings of jet lag is to help your body realign its body clock.

Pre-adjusting your body clock is an excellent tip for those who are super organised. Altering your sleep schedule a few days before your trip can ease your body into its new time-zone. Whether that’s going to bed a few hours earlier or later, these slight adjustments can make all the difference when travelling long-distance.

Maybe you’re struggling to fall asleep in your new destination. Is it daytime where your body clock is aligned with? Essential oils are incredibly powerful in inducing the feeling of tiredness.

Essential Oils to Help Jet Lag

Plant extracts such as Lavender or Vetiver can be incredibly helpful when you wish to fall asleep. Lavender is high in linalool and linalyl acetate, which heavily contribute to the feelings of tiredness. Linalool has a vast number of benefits which not only prepare your body to sleep, but to recover. Vetiver, otherwise known as the “oil of tranquillity” has incredibly relaxing properties. Containing the sesquiterpene, Thujopsene, which research has shown to be an agent towards inflammatory and tension, can deeply relax the human physique, aiding the user to let go.

Whether your destination of choice has a diffuser, or you use a small, discreet nasal inhaler, pop some essential oil into it and allow your body to deeply relax into it with some heavy breaths. At Trelonk, we’d recommend a blend of essential oils which have been designed to aid sleep. Check out our Lights Out collection. Created to send you off to sleep, naturally.