Susan Barnes – aka travlin’ girl – is a travel writer, editor and photographer. A proud Army brat, she was born on a military base in Belgium and has been on the go ever since; she now makes Tampa her home with her husband and miniature schnauzer, Lucy. In addition to writing extensively for print and online media, Susan is a co-host of #girlstravel chat on Twitter, Mondays at 2 p.m. ET. Feel free to follow her via travlingirl.com, and on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. These days, she’s jetting off to her next destination in her Karina Penelope in Daisy.
Traveling can take a toll on your body, especially when changing and crossing time zones. We all look for ways to combat jetlag, to feel fresher and more vibrant upon arrival. Wearing the right dress for travel can definitely help, but there are other things that you can do too.
To that point, I may have just found my favorite author ever. Chef/nutritionist Michelle Dudash, author of Clean Eating for Busy Families, came out with snacks that help jet setters avoid jet lag, including dark chocolate. Take a look, pack a sack and say au revoir to nasty jetlag!
Dress For Travel and Be Ready For Anything
Beating Jetlag With Chocolate:
- Dark chocolate: start with a chocolate that’s 60% cacao and work your way up. The darker the chocolate, the less the sugar. But whichever variation you select, all dark chocolate can reduce levels of cortisol and catecholamine stress hormones.
- Carbs: yes, eat your carbs! Try low-sugar granola, an apple or dried fruit and they’ll help stimulate the release of serotonin, the natural, feel-good brain chemical.
- Vitamin B6: found in tuna salad, bananas, roasted chickpeas and even fortified breakfast cereal, vitamin B6 boosts melatonin production. You’ll sleep like a baby!
- Melatonin: go straight to the source with dried cherries, almonds, sunflower seeds. Or, make your own trail mix by combining the three! On board, order tomato juice; the tomatoes contain high melatonin content.
- Hydration: On board, stay hydrated to keep fatigue, false hunger and headaches at bay once you arrive at your destination. Not a fan of good ol’ H2O? Try dehydrated coconut water or orange juice.
It may not be scientifically proven, but I think that being comfortable on longer flights – and all flights, to be honest – helps immensely in arriving ready to go. Wear loose clothing – like a Karina Dress!, the best dress for travel– flats, if possible, and a wrap in case the plane’s a/c goes into overdrive.
Do you have tips or tricks to share to help your fellow travelers beat jetlag? Do share!
Here’s to happy, healthy flying!