Should I sleep on my flight to Europe?

Use the flight to rest and reset. With a few hours of sleep during the transatlantic flight, you'll be functional the day you land. When the pilot announces the European time, reset your mind along with your wristwatch. Don't prolong jet lag by reminding yourself what time it is back home. Be in Europe.



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Limit naps in the days following your arrival. If you need it, taking a short nap can help you stay awake during the day. But napping for more than 30 minutes can keep you from falling asleep at night. Try to stay awake until your normal bedtime and get up on time the next day.

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Sleep Foundation notes that jet lag happens when we travel across three or more time zones. And, there's bad news for anyone traveling from the U.S. to Europe: jet lag is worse when you travel east than it is when you travel west. Why is this?

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The best time to fly to Europe If you want to avoid jet lag as much as possible, try to find a flight that arrives in Europe in the mid-afternoon or evening. This means leaving North America in the early morning.

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There are few daytime flights between North America and Europe. This is for many reasons, including the length of the flights, big time zone changes, generally insufficiently large point-to-point traffic to warrant it, less productive aircraft (most have to remain overnight at one end), and so on.

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Try to Sleep During the Flight
One of the best ways to minimize jet lag is to try and sleep during the flight. Using earplugs, eye masks, or noise-cancellation headphones helps to block out light and noise.

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If you have the choice, try to book a flight that leaves between 8 am and noon and arrives between 6 pm and 10 pm. According to this book, flights that leave late at night (10 pm-1 am) and arrive in the morning (8 am to noon) give a much bigger risk for jet lag.

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Simply put, it's a mix of the seat structure, less-than-ideal cabin conditions, and our sleep cycles. A plane is not the best place to sleep. but it's not impossible. If you can maximize your sleep environment, you'll have some quality plane sleep and arrive at your destination refreshed and ready to go.

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13 Tips for Surviving a Long-Haul Flight
  1. Choose your seat. ...
  2. Power up. ...
  3. Get comfy. ...
  4. Bring some snacks. ...
  5. Always bring a scarf or shawl. ...
  6. Pack a pillow and blanket. ...
  7. See no evil, hear no evil. ...
  8. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.


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If you're traveling east on an overnight flight, avoid light exposure and try to sleep during the first half of the flight (likely when it's night where you're heading). If you're going west, avoid light exposure during the second half of your flight to initiate a delay in your circadian rhythm.

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Should you shower after getting off a plane? If you do happen to pick up bacteria or fungi that's not your own, this may lead to itchiness and bumps on the skin and scalp. Showering after flights is probably a good thing—regardless of the length! —if only to have that clean feel after being cooped up in a cabin.

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If you do happen to pick up bacteria or fungi that's not your own, this may lead to itchiness and bumps on the skin and scalp. Showering after flights is probably a good thing—regardless of the length! —if only to have that clean feel after being cooped up in a cabin.

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Do you shower before a flight? Some people plan to take a shower when they reach their destination, but they really should shower before boarding a plane.

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Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones. Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed.

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How long jet lag lasts depends on the time difference between your point of departure and your destination. The greater the time difference, the longer it tends to take your body to adjust. Researchers have found that, on average, it takes people about one day to adjust for each 1 to 1.5 hours of time change.

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Most people find that jet lag is worse when traveling east than it is when traveling west. View Source . Jet lag differs based on the direction of travel because it's generally easier to delay your internal clock than advance it. Jet lag does not occur on north-south flights that do not cross multiple time zones.

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Six Ways Flight Attendants Live With Jet Lag
  1. 1 Water.
  2. 2 Eat light.
  3. 3 Use breaks.
  4. 4 Down route.
  5. 5 Sleep.
  6. 6 Don't push.


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Trying to save money by traveling on a certain day of the week can be hit-or-miss with flights to Europe. It's often cheaper to fly mid-week, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, in particular, but sometimes you can get the same mid-week fare on a Saturday. 2 The length of your stay can make a big difference in price.

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Most airlines recommend arriving at the airport three hours before departure for international flights. It's common for international flights to start boarding earlier than domestic flights (the aircraft are often larger and have higher passenger capacities), which accounts for the earlier recommendation.

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Generally speaking, most airlines advise that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to a domestic flight, and at least 3 hours prior to an international flight. That said, there are many factors to consider that will help you decide how much time you should budget for at the airport.

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