In the past, jet lag was always a challenge for me. I spent the first day or so of every vacation napping and getting adjusted to a new time zone. And unfortunately for me, jet lag wasn’t just about being tired. I was tired AND had a headache and nausea. That is not a fun way to start a trip, or the best use of valuable vacation time! Who wants to spend the first days in a new place napping?
Then I needed to travel for business, and jet lag became more than just an inconvenience. I needed to be “on,” meaning alert and focused. But at the start of the trip, I was the opposite of those things. I had a terrible time adjusting to the new time zone, and no amount of coffee helped. On our first day, I remember sitting in an afternoon meeting, with my eyes feeling so heavy I could hardly keep them open. It was bad!
Possible solution found
After that trip I continued with personal travel, but I didn’t have any more business trips until about a year ago. Just before that trip, I was at an acupuncture appointment. I happened to mention to my doctor that I would be flying to Atlanta for business, and how much I was challenged by jet lag. She said acupuncture could help. After my regular treatment, she inserted “press needles” in two areas behind my ears, and instructed me to leave them in for my trip. These are very different than normal acupuncture needles. They are tiny, therapeutic ones attached to adhesive. They look very similar to a small, circular adhesive bandage. I didn’t hurt when they were applied, and seldom noticed they were there.
It works!
This treatment has greatly improved how my body handles jet lag. At my destination, I no longer need lots of coffee in the morning, and I’m alert in the afternoon.
It was so nice to find something that was easy and effective. It has really changed my experience of being in different timezones. I found a community acupuncture clinic that makes the treatment very affordable. Now I always schedule an acupuncture appointment for the day before I travel.
Due to sanitary reasons the press needles need to be removed after one week. If your trip is less than a week, remove them when you arrive back home. So far, all my trips have been within the U.S. and under a week, and this treatment has worked great for those.
What about longer trips?
As I’ve looked into going back to Europe or Australia for a several week trip, I’ve started considering how I would deal with jet lag on a longer trip. If the press needles have to be removed after one week, does the jet lag hit once they are removed, or would I be fine after a week in the new timezone? Unfortunately this is not a question I can answer right now, since I haven’t tried it on any longer trips yet. However, I’ll be sure to let you know when I figure it out.
Get on the new schedule
Whether or not you try acupuncture, it really helps to get on the new schedule as soon as possible to support your body when changing time zones.
- Think – Set your watch and/or phone to your new time zone
- Eat – Have your meals on the schedule of your destination
- Sleep – Shift to the new schedule as soon as you can. This one can be tricky, so use sleep aids, if needed
So try acupuncture for that weeklong getaway and see how it goes! Happy traveling!
Note: Due to sanitary reasons the press needles shouldn’t be left in for more than a week.