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| Tips for beating jet lag from my new book |
| by Brian Kelly |
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Hi everyone,
Never in a million years did I think The Points Guy would become what it is today, having reached hundreds of millions of travelers since I launched it as a fun side project in 2010. It never gets old to hear people say how much money they’ve saved and how much better they travel now that they read the site, so it’s always been a dream of mine to write a book. I’m so excited to announce that my first book, “How to Win at Travel,” will be hitting shelves in early 2025 and is available for preorder.
I had so much fun writing this book, and I’m honored that a publisher like Simon & Schuster would want to publish it. And, let me be clear that this book is so much more than just points tips — although there are hearty chapters on how to earn and redeem points as well as take advantage of all the perks. The book is a definitive guide on how to travel better, and that includes everything from budgeting and traveling with kids to travel health and jet lag. I even have a chapter on the fear of flying.
Since the book doesn’t come out for a while, I thought I’d give you all a sneak peek at one of my favorite chapters (where I learned a lot), which is all about jet lag.
Here are some quick snippets from the book from a conversation with Mickey Beyer-Clausen, the founder of the top jet lag app Timeshifter. I have started using the app myself recently, and it has helped dramatically.
Here are some tips on how to reduce jet lag:
No. 1: You have to understand that jet lag is about light. For so long, I thought it was all about sleep, and the reason why you’re tired is that you’re just not getting enough sleep. I knew that circadian rhythm was related, but didn’t realize it was regulated by light. So, if you want to manage jet lag, you need to pay attention to light and understand that it will naturally take one day for every hour of time difference for your body to fully adjust, although some people adapt sooner than others.
In order to manage jet lag, you need to get daylight and darkness at the right times to start regulating your circadian rhythm. So, sometimes you shouldn’t just sleep the entire time on a plane — there are optimum sleep times based on your circadian rhythm and the time zones.
No. 2: Melatonin can help but a lot of the melatonin you get over the counter is long-release and what you want is a dose of fast-release. When buying it, make sure you are getting fast-acting, low-dose melatonin, which is the key to helping your body shift your circadian clock.
No. 3: Finally, there is no clinical research that proves that one type of plane is better than another. Personally, I feel better rested on newer planes like the A380s, 787s and A350s, but the key to overcoming jet lag is different with everyone and will probably be more about the timing of your flight than the actual plane.
Those are just a few snippets. This chapter is much longer with a lot more great information, but I highly recommend downloading the Timeshifter app if you haven’t used it already.
Points and miles spotlight: Q&A with Nomadic Matt
When I started The Points Guy back in 2010, there were a number of prominent travel bloggers who were winning the game, and one of those was Matt Kepnes (Nomadic Matt). I met him pretty early on at a blogging conference; he immediately accepted me into the wild world of blogging and was always a great resource, a great friend and a guest on my podcast — and he’s now a New York Times bestselling author. I’m excited for you to get to know him a little better today. I recently got a chance to ask Matt some questions — let’s go!
Brian: What’s the one credit card you can’t live without and why?
Matt: I love my Bilt Mastercard® because you get good restaurant perks (especially in NYC), points on rent, and I like their partners. It’s become my top-of-wallet card for all personal spending.
Brian: Favorite travel card perk?
Matt: It would have to be the Delta and Centurion lounge access with my Platinum Card® from American Express.
Brian: Oh, those are great perks. Now, what’s your favorite travel spot?
Matt: I absolutely love Paris, as cliche as that is. I love the people, the history, the food, the jazz and the architecture. It is a city that I never get tired of. Having lived there, I know a lot of the “local” spots so I feel I always get to see a side of Paris that is non-touristy.
Matt, thank you for taking the time to answer a few questions for TPG readers, and for helping pave the way in the travel blogging industry! Make sure to give Nomadic Matt a follow on Instagram.
Have a great weekend,
BK
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| Photo Credit: WYATT SMITH/THE POINTS GUY. |
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