HOW TO BEAT JET LAG

After being on both eastbound and westbound long haul flights and working the nightshift, I can truly say that I am now a master of conquering jet lag. The saying 'west is best and east is the beast' is so damn true that whoever said that phrase first is a genius.

There's no doubt, that jet lag is the Bain of your life when travelling on long haul flights. It's inevitable when flying through multiple time zones and it's that tiny problem that we seem to overlook until the day we actually travel.

No worries for you though, I've derived a list of the best ways to get yourself through jet lag. As well as an experienced flyer, I'm also a nightshift worker. So these tips are for real...

1. Get a good sleep before you start travelling.Now.. this might be easier on the outbound flight seen as you're in your house first, but it may backfire. You may have to get up at stupid hours of the morning so do try and get a good rest, but sometimes it's unavoidable.

2. On arrival try to stay awake.I've found that getting into a destination early evening is the best, as you can relax and unwind and then fall asleep at that normal local time. Sometimes though, as the case I had when landing in Bali, sometimes you'll land at 9am local time after travelling for 18 hours. Now this is a pain, but you've got to realise that the more you stay awake the better you'll adjust to local time.

3. Keep active.This is one of the best things to keep yourself awake. Moving about will increase blood circulation in your body and this flowing blood will stimulate you so you feel more awake. Try not to lie down in an airport before a flight (dangerous move!) or in a change over airport. You don't want to be stuck in a random country.

4. Eat good food.Your body will be working really hard to keep you awake, so taking in lots of carbohydrates and sugar will keep you feeling active and awake. Try not to eat greasy foods as these may make you feel bloated and sleepy.

5. Drink water.As with the food, try and keep drinking water to keep your body active and awake. Not only is water good for you in general, it'll keep you hydrated on your flight. Remember, to be fully hydrated you should be going to the bathroom once every hour!

6. COFFEE.Now, people may disagree with this one, but coffee is the no.1 thing that keeps me going - but obviously to an extent. You don't want to over-do the caffeine intake because you'll just crash if you don't keep refuelling your body with it every couple of hours.

7. Face spray.Facial rosewater spray is one of the best things to keep your skin hydrated and make you feel fresh while you're trying to beat jet lag. My personal favourite is the Mario Badescu Rose Water Spray.

8. Try and sleep on the plane.Now I know this is easier said than done. I'm one of those people that can't sleep on planes, but try to your best effort to get in a nap on your flight. It'll make you feel less jet lagged with some sleep under your belt when you land.

So there you go, those are my top 8 tips to conquering jet lag - good luck!