With the holiday season just around the corner, for many international students it also means the jet lag season is about to begin too. Winter break, for most of the international community, is the first time that they’re able to go back home since the beginning of the school year. For these students, “home” can be an eight hour flight away, or it can be a 21 hour flight away. Either way, jet lag is inevitable. Here are some tips for making the aftermath of the flight home a little easier:

1. Sleep on the plane- For students who have a long flight home to look forward to, consider sleeping on the journey back. Although the plane probably has some “great” films to watch, consider using some of the time to sleep. This way it will be easier to readjust to your country’s timezone when you land.
2. Follow your home country’s meal times and sleep times –Even though it may feel like dinner time on your body clock, resist eating and wait until it’s supper time in your area. By doing this your body clock will be able to adjust itself to the new timezone easier.
3. For the first few days home, stay rested – Once your back at home, don’t strain yourself too much. If you’re meeting friends, catch up at home or go get a coffee. Save the big nights out for later in the week and give your body this time to recover from the journey.
4. Drink water- While both on the plane and off the plane, you should drink a lot of water to keep your body hydrated. Keeping your body hydrated means that sleeping on the plane will be easier and recovering from jet lag will be quicker.