4 Nutritional Hacks For Managing Jet Lag During Your Work Trip

Traveling for work is great for professional growth but often bad for your body clock. Dealing with jet lag while you’re preparing for a high-stakes meeting can affect your performance. Fortunately, with the right nutrition plans, you can reduce its impact and manage your body’s circadian rhythm. Here are some hacks to ensure you get proper rest once you reach your destination.

Getting enough rest is crucial in everyday life, but it’s even more so when you’re on a work trip. Poor sleep quality can make you more irritable or anxious than usual, which can sabotage your efforts. So, before the flight, set yourself up for quality sleep while abroad by planning your meals out.

Start shifting your meal times a few days before your trip to an hour or two closer to your schedule where you’ll be going. Doing so can give your body time to adjust to the new times and minimize the shock upon arrival.

Eat a protein-rich breakfast like Greek yogurt, lean chicken salad, or eggs to help you feel fuller for longer. For dinner, go for a carbohydrate-focused meal, such as whole wheat pasta or sweet potato dishes. This type of food contributes to insulin release, which helps the sleep-inducing amino acid tryptophan reach the brain faster.

The low humidity of airplane cabins can be as dehydrating as a desert. If you don’t get enough water, it can amplify your fatigue and make your jet lag worse, so drink plenty of water before and during the flight.

If you want something sweet, go for coconut water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine because they have diuretic properties, which means they can dehydrate you and impact your sleep quality.

You could opt not to eat during the flight to give your digestive system and circadian rhythm time to reset. Alternatively, if you want to eat, choose easy-to-digest snacks. Nuts, tart cherries, and bananas are ideal because they’re light and offer nutrients that can help you sleep, such as melatonin, tryptophan and magnesium.

Avoid fatty foods, as they can slow down gastric emptying, resulting in an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach. That means steering clear of heavy and greasy airport meals like pizza and burgers. Also, take sugary sodas off the menu, as they might lead to an energy crash and bloating.

Use your first evening meal at the destination to let your brain know it’s time to wind down. Eggs are a great option because they’re packed with sleep-promoting nutrients from melatonin to vitamin D. A small dish with complex carbs and a tryptophan-rich protein can also help produce melatonin.

If you’re staying at a hotel with an all-day breakfast menu, consider having a simple omelet with a side of white wheat toast for dinner. It’s easily digestible and includes all the essentials for quality sleep. If where you’re staying or somewhere nearby doesn’t keep its breakfast menu all day, look for other meals with sleep-boosting nutrients. For example, salmon and other fatty fish can provide vitamin D and omega-3 acids, increasing serotonin levels, which can also impact sleep.

It also helps to avoid caffeine after 2 p.m. because it can make sleeping more difficult. If you have meetings on the same day you arrive, avoid holding them in coffee shops.

Be strategic about what you eat when you travel for work. Doing so might not always eliminate jet lag, but it can help you manage your well-being while abroad. Fuel your body with the right type and quantity of foods to ensure you arrive ready to lead the meeting, close the deal or maximize your work trip in various other ways.