The Myth of the In-Flight Drink: Why Alcohol Makes Jet Lag Worse
It's a common travel ritual: settling into your seat for a long-haul flight and ordering a glass of wine or a beer to relax and help you fall asleep. While it might seem like a good idea, the reality is that alcohol consumption is one of the worst things you can do when trying to combat jet lag. It actively sabotages your body's ability to adjust.
1. It Causes Dehydration
The air inside an airplane cabin is incredibly dry, with humidity levels often lower than the Sahara Desert. This environment already puts you at risk for dehydration. Alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it makes you urinate more frequently, which accelerates water loss.
The symptoms of dehydration—headache, fatigue, and dizziness—are remarkably similar to the symptoms of jet lag. By drinking alcohol, you are essentially compounding the problem, ensuring you'll feel worse upon arrival.
2. It Destroys Sleep Quality
This is the most critical point. While alcohol is a sedative and can help you fall asleep faster, the sleep it produces is not restorative.
How it works: Alcohol suppresses REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, the stage that is crucial for memory consolidation and emotional regulation. In the second half of the night, as the alcohol is metabolized, your body experiences a "rebound effect." This leads to a much lighter, more fragmented sleep with frequent awakenings.
So, even if you get a few hours of sleep on the plane, it's low-quality, non-restorative sleep that leaves you feeling even more tired and groggy when you land.
3. It Can Interfere with Circadian Adjustment
Some studies suggest that alcohol can interfere with the body's ability to adjust its circadian rhythm. It can flatten the natural fluctuations of core body temperature, which is a key signal for the body clock. By masking your body's natural signals, it can make it harder to adapt to the new time zone.
The Better Choice: Hydrate
What should you drink on a plane? Water. And lots of it. A good rule of thumb is to drink at least 8 ounces (about 250ml) of water for every hour you are in the air.
If you want something other than water, choose non-caffeinated herbal tea or a low-sugar electrolyte drink to help with hydration.
Conclusion: Skip the Drink, Beat the Lag
While a drink on the plane might feel like a relaxing start to your vacation, you are borrowing energy and well-being from your arrival day. For a faster, smoother recovery from jet lag, the best strategy is to avoid alcohol completely and focus on aggressive hydration instead.