Tag Archive for: Jet leg

Summer’s here. It’s time to hop a flight to the Amalfi Coast, or Tulum, or Bali—somewhere with clear water, sandy beaches, and a very weak wifi connection.

You work hard to cash in your vacay time—and you deserve to put on your email autoresponder and soak up every last minute of it. But if you’re relying on air travel to get to your destination, you might have an unfortunate guest crash your precious time off: jet lag.

Jet lag manifests itself in so many different ways, both physical and mental. Think fatigue, bloating, insomnia, irritability, digestive issues, and general stress. None of the symptoms are fun on a normal day, let alone on your dream vacation. And then there’s the damage that dirty airports and pressurized air cabins can do to your complexion. We’re talking dehydrated skin and clogged pores galore. You want to come back from your break looking like a refreshed, glowy, and relaxed supermodel—not like you’ve been to hell and back again trying to make it through customs.

It’s possible to make it through all of your summer travel looking great and feeling even better. It’s all about fighting the dreaded jet lag bloat; and with the right products, foods, and supplements, you should be just fine. Keep scrolling to get the skinny on how to beat jet lag and keep your skin looking fresh no matter how far you travel this summer.

What Causes Jet Lag?

You’ve gotta know the enemy in order to properly defend yourself. Jet lag, or desynchronosis, is a temporary circadian rhythm disorder that often occurs when a person travels across time zones. The body’s internal clock is disrupted, and major symptoms include insomnia, fatigue, bloating, anxiety, malaise, and emotional disturbances.

When a traveler crosses a few time zones, the body uses natural cues like sunlight and an eating schedule to try and acclimate to the appropriate time. But because travel is disorienting for the physical body, it can take a few days before all the natural processes even out and become normalized.

Jet lag is usually worse when moving from west to east because travelers lose hours of their day. If you’re traveling from New York City to Mykonos (hi, take us with you?), you’ll lose seven hours of your day. Meals, sleep, and bathroom schedules will all be pushed by seven hours, which certainly messes with your routine and your body’s ability to adapt to a new place.

Travelers also tend to underestimate the toll that airports and planes have on their wellbeing, too. Stressful security checks, unhealthy airport food, and omnipresent air conditioning can wreak havoc on the most resilient complexions. If you’re prone to breakouts, touching grimy bathroom doors and tray tables and then rubbing your face can exacerbate acne. And even if you are getting sleep on the plane (or in the airport) it’s likely not high quality zzz’s. Rest is incredibly important for cell turnover and skin recovery—in fact, regeneration happens three times as quickly during sleep as opposed to waking hours.

Feels like everything is working against you when it comes to gorgeous skin while traveling? Fortunately, that’s not the case. When you know what to do to combat jet lag, you improve the chances that you’ll enjoy your time off … and that when you do land back at home, you’ll still be rocking that “I-just-spent-a-week-without-conference-calls” glow.

5 Steps to Prevent Jet Lag

Try to Land in The Evening

If possible, try to book a flight that lands later in the evening at your final destination. Your goal is to basically hop off the plane and jump into your hotel sheets—getting sleep is the best way to acclimate to a new place. If you’re totally topsy-turvy when you land, grab a little something to eat. A light meal that’s rich in carbs will trigger serotonin release, and that can help you fall asleep more quickly when you do finally get to bed.

Before you retire, try giving yourself a light peel treatment. We love the Fresh A Peel Multi-Acid Resurfacing Peel because it’s gentle but effective. The peel will obliterate any dry skin or dull skin that may have happened as a result of air travel and makes it easier for your skin to drip up a rich moisturizer like our Plant Profusion Night Cream. The plant stem cells in our night cream will encourage cell turnover and recovery, so you’ll get more bang for your buck as you sleep even if your REM cycle isn’t as long as normal.