I love travelling but I’m not a fan of long haul flights nor having to overcome jet lag. While travelling itself enriches the mind – from a Phuket tropical getaway to cultural holidays in South Africa, finding ways to pass the time on a long haul flight or beating jet lag can take its toll and affect your trip.

But flying for an extended period or adjusting to a new time zone doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. With a bit of planning, you can quickly ease into a rewarding travel experience. We ask these seasoned globetrotters on their long haul flight essentials, jet lag cures tips and how to sleep perfectly on a plane. 

Darren Kennedy – TV personality and lifestyle writer

Essentials

I always make sure to have my iPhone charger to hand, some men’s grooming products like Kiehl’s facial fuel or La Mer to keep hydrated during the flight (I’ll use this on my hands too), aftershave for just before landing.

Sleep

Melatonin supplement is the best sleep aid for flying. I take it about 20 minutes before I’d like to snooze. I also bring some peppermint oil and massage a couple of drops onto my temples and then I sleep like a baby.

Beating jet lag

Get to the gym, it wakes up the body and helps your body clock adjust. I’ll also continue taking the melatonin supplement just before bedtime for a few days until I’m back to my normal sleep routine

HEADING OVERSEAS WITH YOUR BOO? – Check out our guide on How To Survive Travelling As A Couple

Stefan and Sebastien – Travel Bloggers at Nomadic Boys

Essentials

Our laptops! Along with a good set of noise cancellation headphones, you can watch a movie on it, work or catch up with mundane tasks like photo editing. Long haul flights are a great way for clearing such tasks that have built up over time.

Beating jet lag

Try to get in the time zone before you arrive. Ideally you want to starve yourself from sleep until it would be time to sleep at a sensible hour locally. But it will inevitably take a few days for your body to fully adjust. Otherwise failing that, lots of gin! 

For more travel guide and tips, head to Nomadic Boys.

Jesse Desjardins – Founder & CEO of fwNATION

Essentials

I use my iPad a lot on the plane. I’ll catch up on my saved articles on Instapaper and watch my downloaded videos from Youtube. I use Bose QuietComfort 35 which are perfect noise cancellation headphones.

Sleep

With water, melatonin, and travel pillows for airplanes like Trtl Pillow and Ostrich pillow, I can average 6-8 hours of sleep. Skip the meals. You’ll feel and sleep better.

Beating jet lag

Drink lots of water and just get on with it. You’ll live.

Adler Poh – Founder & CEO of Adler Hostel

Essentials

As much as possible, I always travel light with my cabin bag which includes a comfy jacket and scarf that act as a pillow when scrunched up. Having a big bottle of water with me is also important as it helps hydrate me.

Sleep

Window seats tend to have more side space with minimal interference (people walking down the aisle or someone who needs to go to the toilet) so I choose the window seat where I can lie my head. It works wonders for me.

I also shut the windows, turn off the in-flight entertainment and wear an eye mask, which is worth the investment.

Beating jet lag

I synchronize my time to the destination upon boarding. If it’s daytime at my destination, I’ll have my movies running until it’s at least evening time before I crash.

As I tend to choose flights arriving in the morning, I’ll check in and see if there’s an available room, sleep for an hour then head to the gym or pool before taking another short nap.

Go out and expose yourself to the sun. Explore and have coffee to keep you energized. Have a warm milk or chamomile after a hot tub session and you should be sleeping well on the very first night.

If you’re new to flying or even if you’re a frequent flyer, these tips from the pros will definitely help you survive long flights or overcome jet lag. Are there other tricks you use when flying?