Jet Lag Again and Again

As I get ready to head for the airport for a flight from the west coast to the east of the US,  Harriet Edleson’s New York Times article , Battling Jet Lag, caught my eye.   I know that even the upcoming, reasonably short flight  - LA to Baltimore - will leave me a bit fuzzy and forgetful.  I read the article hoping to find some new tip that would help me cope.   (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/12/business/how-to-cope-with-time-zone-changes-and-jet-lag-when-flying.html)

Along with the usual advice to avoid alcohol and eat lightly was:  Know yourself.  Know how the flight,  change of time will affect you.   Everyone experiences some diminished mental capacity.  How do you minimize the potential problems that can result?  Are you better off sleeping through the flight or working?  Do you sleep when you get to your destination stay up until it’s bedtime at your destination?  Everyone’s answer is different.  

While I didn’t find a new tip it did remind me of the one that helps me.  It’s creating a “To Do Upon Arrival “ list.   I write it as soon as the flight’s airborne.  I cover things I need to do immediately and for the first day or two.  I know my brain will be fuzzy when I land.  With list in hand, that’s not a problem..  It makes it less likely that I’ll forget to take the map when heading to a new destination via the metro, forget where I put my passport or miss an important call.  And yes, I do it when I’m heading home.  Jet lag doesn’t just touch us in a new environment.  

What’s your tip for coping with jet lag?  Share it and I’ll post a list.  Maybe there’s something special that can help us all.