Aside from switching up your whole routine and spending a lot of time and energy figuring out where you need to be, traveling for work can be incredibly tiring from the jet lag alone. That’s why you need to find ways to keep yourself awake and alert at all times. Here’s how to cope with jet lag and sleepiness while traveling.
- Find a way to get your heart rate up. One of the best ways to energize yourself is to get a little bit of exercise in. If you’ve been on a plane for several hours, then you’re definitely going to need to get some exercise in order to wake up your brain and your body. Just a few jumping jacks and a light jog can really make a world of difference. Plus, when you finally do get the opportunity to sleep, the exercise you did will naturally send your body into a state of appreciative relaxation so that you can reset your clock.
- Keep your diet balanced and healthy. A lot of people tend to rely on sugar, caffeine and other artificial forms of energy when they are tired and jet lagged. Unfortunately, these food sources always end up with a sudden crash just as fast as they brought you up – and sometimes even faster. That’s why it’s important to get natural sources of energy from lean proteins, whole grains, and complex carbohydrates. You may not get any sudden jolts of energy, but you’ll get enough to keep you chugging along, and you won’t have any sudden crashes.
- Find a way to get little catnaps in. If you’re staying in Vienna, then you’re going to want to look for hotel options in Vienna that are close to the airport. That way you’ll have enough time to get into your room and sneak little catnaps in between your various work obligations. Just a quick 20 minutes of sleep can really make a world of difference. Just be careful not to sleep too long, though, because you might not be able to get back up.
- Try to really engage in peoples’ conversations. If you find yourself checking out in the middle of talking to people, be sure to make an extra strong effort to stay alert. Think of it like listening to a foreign language – concentrate hard on the stories they’re telling and make sure you really follow where they’re going. Ask them questions about their stories so that you can keep yourself engaged. You might feel like you’re faking it at first, but in due time you will be feeding off of their energy instead of tiring them with yours.
- Try to keep your body temperature a little cooler than normal. When you go to sleep, it’s important that you make sure your whole body is warm and comfortable in order to fall asleep. So when you’re trying to stay awake, you want to be sure that you keep yourself feeling just a little bit chilly. That way you will be more alert and less inclined to fall asleep.