The biggest mistakes youll make trying to beat jet lag

The biggest mistakes youll make trying to beat jet lagThe biggest mistakes youll make trying to beat jet lagEvery traveler dreads the side effect of global adventure - jet lag, the imbalance in our bodys internal clock caused by traveling through too many time zone. It spoils your sleep, destroys your mood, ruins your appetite, wreaks havoc on your ability to concentrate, and drags down your energy levels.According to the Mayo Clinic, it takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed. Unfortunately, too many of us have to return back to work to recover properly from our trips across the globe. Although some of jet lags symptoms may be inevitable, others can be entirely preventable. Heres how you can stop making the biggest mistakes that are going to make beating jet lag harder.1. Dont stay indoorsWhen you get off your flight, you may be tempted to hole up in your room and nap the stress of a long flight away. But if its daytime in your local timezone, it behooves you to get out and catch some rays. Bright natural light is natures jet lag antidote because the sun in our eyeballs helps us regulate our biological clock.Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.If you are going east-to-west youll want to get evening exposure to light. And if youre going west to east, youll want to get morning exposure to light,Stanford sleep expertJamie Zeitzer said about combating jet lag.Once you lie down on your bed in the middle of the day, inertia will take over, and jet lag will have the upper hand. Get up and get moving As one long-haul travelerwrites, Ive found I bounce back better if I keep moving. Walk around the airport terminal as much as possible, get your blood circulating.2. Dont look at screens when you need to be asleepIf jet lag is giving you insomnia, you may be tempted to scroll through your phone or stay up all night watching Netflix. But according to sle ep experts, this will only prolong your circadian disruption.In fact, if you know you need to be asleep on your flight back, avoid the in-flight movie. Why? Because technology is too stimulating for our brains. The blue-spectrum light they emit is very activating and can delay sleep, UCLAs Dr. AlonAvidan warns.3. Dont have that nightcapYou may want to have some wine to ease your journey into dreamland, but alcohol is a big no-no. It not only dehydrates your body which makes you more tired, it also worsens your quality of sleep.And you need all the sleep you can get to battle jet lag. The National Sleep Foundation recommends abstaining from alcohol orcaffeineat least three hours before your desired bedtime if you experience jet lag.4. Dont dwell on it too muchJet lag can drive you crazy if you think about it too much. Instead of cataloging your jet lag miseries, embrace the surreal world you find yourself in - part of overcoming jet lag is changing your state of mind.Try to effect a mental shift and dont compare your time zone to the one you just left, Lonely Planet writer Anita Isalska recommends. Dwelling on the fact that your friends back home are just getting up/going to bed? That way madness lies.