Emotional Jetlag? The unspoken emotions after travel
Luckily, water is good for this too
On my last trip back from North America to Dubai after a friends wedding in July, the jetlag hit me quite hard. For a couple of weeks!
And it wasn’t just the physical side of things that made an impact. My emotions seemed all out of wack, too. Overthinking and stress were high, even though nothing extremely out of sorts happened while I was back home.
The time after a visit with family and friends can carry a lot of emotions - grief, guilt, relief, and even happiness for being back in your new home.
But did you know just the act of travel itself, and the physical impact of travel also impacts your mood?
Somehow I hadn’t put it together that my mind could be a bit more active because of lack of sleep thanks to skipping time zones.
I’m used to crediting my shifting moods to things like stress, hormones and certain foods, but for some reason in my mind jetlag only made me tired. This last trip home, I learned otherwise!
Jetlag is one of the easiest times to drop or forget even our most basic self-care practices, but it’s really when we have to double down. Water and moving our bodies, even slowly are really the two best things for myself.
I even include a hydration drink recipe down below.
After scouring the internet + my own resources figuring out what I can do to support myself this time around, I’ve compiled my favorite self-care reminders to help with emotional jetlag after a trip ‘home’:
1. Reach out to family
If you’re feeling like you’re missing everyone, or just generally sad, try to resist the urge to isolate yourself just because you’re not physically with them. Reach out. Send an SOS. You might need alone time to re-settle and gather your thoughts, but your family still loves you even though you’re gone and they miss you too.
2. Journal, Journal
The jarring-ness of travel and being dipped right back into regular life may lead us to believe that everything’s fine. Or that we’re so busy we have to jump right back into everything. Take the time, whether you start on the plane or wait until a week after your return, to check in around how you’re feeling.
Use the prompt: Right now I feel…. And continue on writing for at least two pages, no filtering what wants to come out. If you can’t think of anything, keep writing “I can’t think of anything, I have nothing useful to say” until your brain gives you another idea. Trust it, and write that down.
3. Water water.
Start with water on the flight back. For long range flights, I know this can be annoying if you have to climb over anyone like me a million times to pee. But hydration has double benefit - you stay as hydrated as you can and you move around instead of sitting the whole flight.
Then, when you get home - introduce things like coconut water and electrolytes.
I found this recipe from Lily Nichols who wrote Real Food For Pregnancy that is YUM! (and no I’m not pregnant but search results bring all kinds of goodies)
Lily’s Electrolyte Replenishment Drink
Ingredients (Make 4 servings)
1 Quart Coconut Water (unsweetened)
¼ teaspoon sea salt (I go with Himalayan pink salt)
½ cup 100% fruit juice (such as 100% pineapple, orange, cherry, or apple, you pick!)
Juice of 1 lemon
10 drops trace mineral concentrate (optional and I haven’t done this yet)
Mix in a pitcher, enjoy, and store remaining in the fridge
4. Stretching and walks
Keep it simple when you get back. TRY to schedule at least one full day off to rest. You might have to jump right back into work, but you don’t have to run back into full workout mode and really push yourself. Try a yoga video on YouTube. (I love Yoga with Adrienne for this) or go for a walk outside. In Dubai summers, my husband and I go for a walk after the sun goes down and it help us work up a nice sweat. Just remember to rehydrate.
5. Get up when you can’t sleep
Oh the conversations I have with myself when I’m laying in bed hearing my husband sleep soundly. “What’s my problem?” “Why can’t I just shut my brain off” “This sleep meditation is really annoying can’t they change the music?” Eventually, I finally let myself surrender - or I have to get up. That’s okay.
6. Remember you trusted your instincts to take you here, and you made the right choice
Something I’ve noticed after trips home is that when we get back the anxious thoughts of “Is being here really the right choice if it feels this bad?” creep in. That’s normal because our brains are trying to figure out how to stop the bad feelings. If you’re doubting your move all together, return to the truth of the matter. You made the decision to move for a reason. Of course you can always make a new decision, but right now, you’re here and that’s okay.