Jet Lag

Everyone's favorite part of travel: jet lag! You all know the drill: when you collapse in a heap at 3 pm only to wake bright-eyed and bushy-tailed eight hours later? That kind of thing has its benefits, actually, if you want to take in some serious night life: may as well do it before you adjust to the time change! But if you're looking to minimize the disorientation, there are some things to keep in mind:

-Try to force yourself to adapt to the new time zone. If you really can't function without a short nap, set an alarm and keep it to 15 minutes or less. That way you'll be tired enough to actually sleep come nightfall. If you can make it through that first day, everything starts falling into place.

-Your body responds to bright light as morning and darkness as night. So make sure you expose yourself to bright light (open the darn curtains!) when you get up in the AM, and dim the lights before you head to bed.

-Try not to rely too heavily on caffeine to help you adjust. Definitely stick to coffee and avoid those little white pills.

-If you really suffer from jet lag, many people report success using a special type of lamp that simulates sunlight. I don't mean a tanning bed or an ultraviolet light (although those would work). I'm talking about a portable lamp that emits a light your body responds to in the same way it responds to sunlight (without those charming cancer-causing rays). These lamps are often used to treat Seasonal Affective Disorder and depression, too.

At any rate, don't let jet lag spoil your holiday! Whenever you're up and about, make sure you have fun.