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Jet lag is the worst.
Right now I’m in the middle of my transitionary period. Not quite in Japan time, not quite in Pacific time either. Maybe somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean or perhaps on Central European time. I was so ready to go to sleep when my friends in Europe were heading to bed. Maybe that’s a sign I need to go back to Europe ASAP?
But yay Japan
The thing about jet lag is when it’s done and over with, you don’t remember how terrible it is. You don’t remember the sleepless nights and sleepy (re: crabby) days. All you remember is the fun and adventures from your travels.
But when you’re right in the middle of it, it’s the WORST THING EVER. And you’ve subjected yourself to you entirely of your free will. And yes I’m fully aware that this is a first world problem and I should quit complaining.
I do love the hustle and bustle of airports though
I’m one of those people who needs a solid 7 hours of sleep. And occasionally naps (actually naps are my jam. I’m a master napper). Really I’m no better than a kid in kindergarten (they still do naptime right?). And when I don’t get my sleep, I turn into this mess of a person. I get overly dramatic, prissy and all in all a terrible person to be around (can you tell yet?).
So to make myself feel better in the middle of the night (yes it’s 2 AM here and I’m wide awake), I’ve put together this rant on the stages of jetlag. Please don’t take it seriously. If you do want to take something seriously, read this post I previously wrote about jet lag.
The Plane Ride
Can you sleep on planes? Because I sure can’t! The noise. The stale air. The too hot, too cold conundrum. Not to mention it’s just not comfortable at all. Even with a neck pillow. Even without a neck pillow. All in all it’s just miserable. I toss and turn as much as humanly possible in that tiny airplane seat before I ultimately fall asleep head tilted back, mouth wide open from exhaustion. It’s not a pretty sight.
I’m like Mason Disick in the middle there.
It’ll be a couple minutes of blissful rest before that kink in my neck wakes me up or someone hits me as they walk by (I like aisle seats). Rinse and repeat until the lights come on and I just give up entirely.
The Arrival
You’re so tired, you’re essentially running on adrenaline. Time moves, but not normally. Sometimes it’s too fast. Sometimes way too slow.
If only I could have gotten away with this…
On autopilot you go through the task of getting your baggage, going through customs, talking to immigration. Really, you shouldn’t be responsible for the things you say or do in this over tired state.
I feel your pain Chandler
Japan was horrendous for this. In my sleep deprived haze, all I remember was standing in line after line, filling in form after form. I messed up my immigration form 3 times because I couldn’t read instructions properly (no my family name is NOT Adelina and last I checked, I wasn’t born in 2015). The attendant at the station probably thought I was an idiot.
Coming home was a little easier. There’s familiarity and no need to actually talk to anyone. Hurray for computers and automated custom systems for Canadians. This is the best way for those overtired folks.
The Cloud of Haze
Congrats! You’ve made it out of the airport. The next challenge is to ignore every fiber of your being screaming at you to sleep and not sleep until it’s “sleep” time in your new time zone. Welcome to the cloud of haze.
Me too Anna, me too
I don’t know about you, but when I’m at this stage everything moves hilariously slowly. Sounds slow though, thought processes take forever. Don’t even think about making decisions. It’s like you’re watching life pass you by on the TV, except you’re actually living it. I liken it to the feeling of being hungover and having a flu at the same time.
Blissful sleep (or is it?)
Sleep! You can finally sleep! And it’s amazing! Until you wake up in the middle of the night wide awake, twiddling thumbs.
Occasionally, you’re able to blissfully sleep through the whole night. It’s a miracle! This happened to me the first night I was home and I was so surprised. And yet, when you wake up the next morning, things still feel hazy. However, for some of you, you wake up feeling 100%. Jerks. Way to rub it in (okay you’re not jerks and I’m just jealous). Me the whole day:
Me the whole day
I get a terrible physical reaction to over tiredness and jetlag. One that I don’t really hear other people talk about. First it starts with a headache when then sometimes turns into a migraine. Then the world starts spinning and spinning. The pain from the headache and the constant spinning of the world causes me to feel nauseated. All in all, it’s terrible.
Sleepness nights
As you slowly adjust, you still wake up at odd hours of the night. You’re able to go to bed at the proper hour, but you wake up just hours later completely awake. In the mornings you force yourself out of bed and to work.
I really do!
But then over time, the constant tiredness goes away. You don’t wake up at odd hours of the night. You’re able to sleep through the night. Before you know it, jet lag is but a distant memory and you’re ready for your next adventure.
What is the jet lag experience for you? Are you one of those people that switch time zones effortlessly (jealous!) or like me and take forever to adjust?
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I hate when you force yourself to stay up, and sleep at the normal sleeping time, sleep the whole night through, and you think… wow, i’m over jetlag already! But then the entire next week, you’re waking up at 3 am in the middle of the night. or taking 4 hour naps during the day.
I can never sleep on planes either! But I think this is mainly because D insists on sitting in the aisle seat, which means I always get the middle seat, and there is just no comfortable way to sleep in the middle seat! This time when I flew long-haul alone.. I booked myself the window seat, and I was surprisingly able to sleep for half the flight against the wall.
Yes! You’ve perfectly described my first week back at home. Tired throughout the day, unable to sleep through the night. It was terrible, but now 2 weeks out I think I’m almost back to normal.
Middle seats are no fun. I definitely can’t sleep in those. I’m always concerned about my elbows. Or accidently sleeping on someone.
Ha! I can’t sleep on planes either. Like, ever. I’m also an aisle seat girl! Can’t stand the feeling of being trapped.
As for messing up forms, I’ve previously ticked ‘yes’ to everything on the customs form like “Have you brought more than $10k cash with you” and “Do you have more than 300 cigarettes in your luggage” because I was so out of it. The customs man gave me a serious side eye and asked if I’d like to reconsider my answers…….
Hahaha! At least he gave you the opportunity to reconsider your answers instead of just interrogating you. I’m sure they’ve seen it happen all the time with red-eyed jet lagged travelers though.
One of my blog readers from Toronto once messaged me asking how in the world did I do some much when I was in Japan. He had visited for the same amount of time and couldn’t fit in as much. I replied that Japan is only an hour off from Malaysia — no jetlag! Anyways, I’ve decided the only thing worse than jetlag is dealing with jetlagged kids. I finally fall asleep, and then someone comes by to tell me that he/she is awake… and then the next one does it… and then the next one.
I’m such a big baby, I don’t know how I’ll be able to handle jetlagged kids. Does not sound fun at all!
I hear ya on the jetlag, it is just not nice – though I can’t do aisle seats – urgh!
I sleep better in window seats, but I hate having to climb over people to go to the washroom!