It’s a nauseating, mind-boggling condition people literally lose sleep over, but help is at hand from a veteran of the skies who shares his best tips
Jetlag is a nightmare, but there are simple tweaks people can make to reduce its effects(Image: Marco Bottigelli/Moment RF/Getty Images)
Post-holiday blues are a nightmare, even more so if you suffer from jetlag after a long trip. Feeling like your body operates on a different time zone once you come back home is disorienting.
Al Smith is a seasoned pilot, currently working as senior first officer for British Airways. He is no stranger to jetlag, having flown across time zones and seen sunrises from the comfort of his own cockpit.
He follows a strict sleep routine to ensure he is fresh as a daisy whenever he is manning a plane. In a recent edition of British Airways’ High Life magazine, he said: “After years on short haul, I had a rhythm – early starts or late finishes, never both.
“But long haul is a different game. These days, I spend at least one night a week wide awake under the stars – but that doesn’t mean I have to lose a night’s sleep.
“I plan ahead: sleep before departure, nap after landing and squeeze in a siesta when I can. The key?
“Prioritising rest and making time for it, no matter what time zone I’m in.”
Top 10 tips to beat jetlag
If the hotel curtains don’t close properly, grab a coat hanger with trouser clips and clip the curtains together. It’s a lifesaver for daytime sleeping.
Limit alcohol.
Don’t sleep for more than three hours on landing day. If it’s after 3pm, try to stay up and just go to bed early.
If you’re a tea lover like me and nothing else will do, invest in quality decaf tea. It’s perfect for enjoying at any time of day or night.
Strategic napping is essential – just don’t do it on a subway in Tokyo.
Turn your phone to dark mode and switch on ‘Sleep’ or ‘Do Not Disturb’ at bedtimes.
Don’t go shopping just to kill time on landing day – you will only buy things you don’t need. Early in my career, I woke up to find I’d cleared out the entire miniature toiletries section of Walgreens after landing in Seattle.
Don’t oversleep while recovering from jet lag – in my experience, it prolongs my adjustment time.
Get outside and do some light exercise. Sunlight is a natural reset for me and is essential when it comes to acclimatising.
If you’re trying to stay up, never sit on the bed! Trust me – before you know it, you’ll be on your back and spark out. You’ve been warned!
Among the most important things for people to get right is their sleep hygiene. According to Al, it helps the body adjust to a new time zone easier and more effectively.
He said of his own experience: “Every time we’ve moved house, my first priority has been: ‘How do I make my new bedroom feel like the best hotel room ever?’ I prefer total darkness when I sleep – I highly recommend plantation shutters with a blackout screen.
“Zero light is incredible and allows me to sleep both day and night. Temperature is also vital.
“I think I have a two-degree tolerance before I’m either too hot or too cold. Yes, it’s the UK – but it reached 40°C in the last few years.
“Air-conditioning is the way forward! And quality bedding is another must.”
One of the main symptoms of jetlag is insomnia and it’s something Al also had first-hand experience of. He told the magazine: “There have been occasions where oversleeping on what we call ‘landing day’ – a sacred day that should be free of tasks – has led to bouts of insomnia.
“It’s taken me years of flying to figure out that if I check the clock twice and it’s still within the same hour, it’s time to get up, have a warm drink (obviously not caffeinated) and watch a bit of TV. Otherwise, I spend the entire night tossing and turning.”
OPENING up her bank account, Grace Parkin can hardly believe how healthy her balance is – and it’s all thanks to Mounjaro.
The mum-of-one says the weight-loss jab has not only helped her slim down to a size 12 from 26, dropping 9st – but it’s stopped her £1k-a-month “boredom spending” sprees.
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Mum-of-one Grace Parkin lost weight and saved money with Mounjaro
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The estate manager was 19st 11lbs at her heaviest but lost 9st with the jab
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Grace was also able to curb her £1,000 a month ‘boredom spending’ habit
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The 34-year-old decided to give Mounjaro a go after seeing a Facebook post
The estate manager, from Sheffield, had been looking into weight loss surgery but decided to try Mounjaro in May 2024 as a less invasive way to shed the pounds.
Grace, 34, was 17st 9lbs before starting the weekly injections and has now lost 9st 4lbs, making her a slender 10st 7lbs and a size 12.
But she credits the drug, which she is still taking, with not only helping her control her diet but also her out-of-control spending habits.
Previously, the mum-of-one was blowing up to £1,000 a month on luxuries including clothes, eating out and alcohol.
She told The Sun: “I was an impulsive spender before.
“I was spending between £600 and £1,000 a month on recreational things. I’d just be buying shoes – trainers, Uggs, boots.
“Then it would be buying loads of jumpers and holiday clothes, even when I’d not booked a holiday.”
Grace said at her worst, she could spend up to £300 while sat on the sofa.
She explains: “I wasn’t getting into debt, but if I was bored in an evening – I’d buy from Boohoo, PrettyLittleThing, Shein – any brands that did plus-sized clothes.”
Meanwhile, Grace impulsively went on shopping trips several times a week purely for the thrill.
The fat jab postcode lottery laid bare – interactive map reveals UK’s ‘Mounjaro black holes’ as NHS rollout stalls
She said: “Two or three times a week, I’d be in my local shopping centre and would come out with bags of stuff. I’d go to Primark and pick up five or six tracksuits for my son.
“I was void-filling – looking for that adrenaline. If I could spend money and it could give that rush – I’d do it.”
Despite being in a well-paid job and always paying her bills, Grace said by the end of the month her wages would be gone.
But since being on Mounjaro, Grace had cut her spending down and now saves £600 each month.
She said: “Now if I need something, I buy it, but I no longer buy things due to boredom. I’m saving in excess of £600 a month.”
“”I am sure my Uber Eats driver probs think I’ve died.
SAVVY saver Karen Powell keeps her spending on a strict diet plan to save her hundreds of pounds every year.
Karen, from Surrey Hills, has budgets for different outgoings and checks her bank statements each week to make sure she’s on track with her money.
The 63-year-old, who runs the time management and organisation skills company The Organising Lady, said: “It’s so important to slim down your spending for your mental health, relationships, and family.
“There’s nothing worse than worrying about money.
“Spending can be addictive if you’re not careful – it’s a dopamine hit going shopping.”
To keep her finances on track, Karen limits her spending.
“I try and stick to £100 a week on food.
“We’re careful with holidays, and will only have two ‘splurge meals’ out while we’re away.
“Me and my sister set a £20 limit on birthday and Christmas presents.
“And me and my husband don’t buy gifts for each other.”
She makes sure to never throw away any food by bulk cooking and freezing – which she reckons saves her £600 a year at least.
She also puts time in her diary each week to monitor her finances.
“Once a week, I’ll look at my bank account to make sure I haven’t splurged and so I can keep track of what I’ve spent.”
She also has “treat” days where she’ll buy affordable things for herself to avoid overspending on big shopping trips.
“I’m human and I love clothes – I just make sure I choose well now, and stick to the rule of one in, one out and sell my unwanted clothes on sites like Vinted.”
Some users of the weight-loss jab have reported a secondary side effect that has helped them to curb impulsive spending.
It’s thought the drug – and other GLP-1 medicines – can not only help to intercept brain signals associated with food cravings but for shopping splurges as well.
She previously got a gastric balloon in 2009 – when she was just aged 18 – but she only lost three stone and found it didn’t help with her eating habits.
She was never a “big eater” but would find herself gorging during the weekend.
Grace would stick to a strict healthy diet during the week, but it would all go out the window at the weekend when she would binge drink and gorge on takeaways and bacon butties.
She said: “I’d think, ‘It’s the weekend – I can treat myself to a takeaway’.”
She would often go out drinking on a Friday or a Saturday and eat a pizza on her way home.
To mop up her hangover the next day, she would tuck into a bacon sandwich and a takeaway.
She says: “By Monday, I’d hate myself and be back on the diet.”
But when she realised her diet wasn’t working she started to look into surgery options, before trying Mounjaro as a last ditch attempt to shift the pounds.
How Grace cut her spending sprees
WE reveal how Grace dramatically cut down her spending sprees.
Spending before:
£200 to £300 on clothes (often in one go)
£300 on holiday spending
£200 to £400 on takeaways
£200 to £400 on meals out
Spending now:
£100 max on clothes
£100 max on takeaways
£100 max eating out
£200 on food shop
Grace said: “It’s been incredible. It turns the food noise off.”
She added it has stopped her cravings to gorge on fast food and while she might still occasionally have a takeaway, she’ll opt for a smaller meal.
She explained: “It removes the guilt from food.”
The only bad side effects she has experienced are feeling cold and nauseous and stomach discomfort.
She said: “I had sulphur burps for one day, but I’d take that every day.”
Grace has also seen the mindset shift help with other aspects of her life – including her spending habits.
How you can slim down your spending
ANDREW Hagger, founder of MoneyComms, shares his top tips to slash your spend and avoid piling on the pounds.
Slim down your direct debits
Check your last few bank statements to see if there are any regular payments or subscriptions you can do without.
Cancel any non-essential direct debits to give your bank balance a breather.
Slash your lunchtime spend
Take a few minutes to make sandwiches for the next day to save a packet compared to shop bought lunches.
Dine out on switching bonuses
Switching your bank account could help you to bag a cash lump sum.
You could earn £100 or more by swapping banks, which can give your balance a big boost.
Shed costly credit card balances
You may be able to save hundreds of pounds by switching to a 0% credit card if your credit score is good.
You can transfer your balance to a 0% credit card for up to 34 months without needing to pay interest.
Drop your overdraft
You could save money by ditching your overdraft and paying with a credit card instead.
Doing so could slash your interest rate from 40% to 24.9%.
But if you pay off your card in full each month then it won’t cost you a penny.
Previously, she would splash out on clothes, holidays, eating out and alcohol without so much as a second thought.
But now she only buys what she needs – and credits the control the drug has given her.
“I didn’t try to curb my spending – it just naturally happened,” she said.
“I had money left after the first month on Mounjaro and thought I’d missed a bill.”
Grace doesn’t usually do a weekly food shop but estimates that if she did it would have been £160 before and now would be around £50.
“Before I’d go looking for tea and pick up 20 other things. Without realising I’d spend £50,” she said.
“Now I don’t go in and look at crisps and puddings.”
Grace says she has seen some harsh comments about those choosing to take the jabs.
But she said: “Why would you want to be miserable?
“When I say I have battled obesity and used medication people say ‘you’ve cheated’.
“I’ve tried it the hard way. This has been life-changing. It’s saved my life.”
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Grace paid £150 a month to get Mounjaro injections privately
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But she saved hundreds of pounds thanks to the injections
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Grace wanted to lose weight but struggled to stick to a diet before Mounjaro
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
HAVING struggled to lose weight for years, it was a simple diet change that finally helped Emma Dennison to shed the pounds.
But with her huge weight loss came a big surprise – hiding under her loose skin.
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Emma Dennison weighed more than 20 stone at her heaviestCredit: Cover Images
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With the weight gain came plummeting self esteemCredit: Cover Images
Emma had tried to lose weight for years without success.
And after a catastrophic knee injury left her unable to exercise, she decided it was time to give up.
The 42-year-old weighed more than 20 stone, and as her size grew, her self-esteem shrank.
“I wasn’t always big. I was a bit heavier in school, but I stayed active through university,” she said.
“Then in 2006, I completely blew out my knee. I was in a full cast for eight months. That’s when the weight started creeping on.
“It wasn’t that I was eating junk all day – I just ate too much. And food became my comfort when life felt overwhelming.
“I didn’t recognise myself in the mirror. I’d stopped shopping for clothes I liked. I always had to go to the ‘fat shop,’ and even then, I hated everything. I stopped being in photos. I’d take a thousand of my kids and husband, but I’d avoid the camera.”
Emma is a full-time sheep farmer and mum to Henry, now ten, and Thomas, 8.
Her life never slowed down and she struggled with emotional eating and portion control.
When Emma and her husband Mervyn, from Tipperary, Ireland, began trying for a third baby, she didn’t suspect her weight might be a factor.
‘No shortcuts exist’ I’m an Irish teen who lost almost 60 pounds in 16 weeks following a routine that works wonders
She said: “All my hormone levels were fine, but we tried for two years and nothing happened. Eventually, I just said, ‘That’s it. We’ve got two beautiful boys. It’s not meant to be.’”
With the baby dream put to rest, Emma decided it was finally time to focus on her health and gave the 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight Plan a go, a programme that mixes meal replacements and normal food with consultant support.
Starting the plan in September 2021, Emma steadily lost weight.
She said: “By May, I was down nearly six stone. Then the scales stopped moving. I was confused. Until that point, I had been consistently losing weight.”
THEN CAME A SURPRISE…
“One night, just for the craic, I took a pregnancy test. I was sure it would be negative… but it wasn’t,” she recalled.
“I was sitting on the toilet at half eleven at night, staring at it thinking, ‘Oh my God. I’m pregnant.’ I didn’t want to wake Mervyn so I lay awake half the night thinking about how I would tell him.”
When she saw the doctor the next day, the news got even more shocking.
“He said, ‘Emma, you’re not just pregnant – you’re already 15 weeks along.’ The weight loss had hidden my bump under loose skin”, she says. Her third pregnancy, Emma says, was worlds apart from her previous two.
“I had no Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction. I was active right up to the end. Two days before my C-section, I was shearing sheep. I honestly believe losing weight made the difference. I felt strong and capable for the first time in years.”
After giving birth to her miracle baby Alistair two years ago, Emma focused on expressing milk, a goal she hadn’t achieved with her older sons.
“I was constantly hungry while expressing. A lot of the weight went back on, but I didn’t panic. I knew I had a plan,” she said.
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Emma found success with the 1:1 Diet by Cambridge Weight PlanCredit: Cover Images
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With the weight loss came a surprise – she found out she was 15 weeks pregnantCredit: Cover Images
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Emma says weight loss has given her back her fertility, health, confidence and identityCredit: Cover Images
She returned to the 1:1 Diet in May 2023, and by December had lost the additional weight, reaching a total loss of eight stone.
Emma now fluctuates comfortably between a size 12 and 14.
She said: “Size 10 doesn’t suit me. I’m curvy and that’s okay. I’m in my 40s now, not my 20s. I want to be healthy, strong, and confident.”
One of the biggest changes came when she began to love fashion again.
She said: “I remember walking into a shop and picking up a top, knowing it would fit. I sat in the car afterwards and cried. That was a freedom I hadn’t felt in years.”
Since then, Emma has become a 1:1 consultant herself, training up while on maternity leave so she can help others see a similar transformation.
And her proudest moment came when she completed Couch to 5k – something her 14-year-old self never imagined.
She said: “I was forced to run a 1,500m race in school. I came dead last – and I mean a long way last. People laughed. When I hit 5k, I thought, ‘Up yours’ to every single one of them.
“Losing weight gave me back my fertility, my health, my confidence and my identity. And I no longer hide from the camera.”
The NHS 12-step plan to help you lose weight
FROM faddy diets to dodgy detoxes – most of us have heard it all before when it comes to weight loss.
But burning fat can be easy and mostly free.
In fact, the NHS has a whole load of medically-approved tips for weight loss and shedding body fat once and for all…
Don’t skip breakfast Skipping breakfast will not help you lose weight. You could miss out on essential nutrients and you may end up snacking more throughout the day because you feel hungry.
Eat regular meals Eating at regular times during the day helps burn calories at a faster rate. It also reduces the temptation to snack on foods high in fat and sugar.
Eat plenty of fruit and veg Fruit and veg are low in calories and fat, and high in fibre – 3 essential ingredients for successful weight loss. They also contain plenty of vitamins and minerals.
Get more active Being active is key to losing weight and keeping it off. As well as providing lots of health benefits, exercise can help burn off the excess calories you cannot lose through diet alone.
Drink lots of water People sometimes confuse thirst with hunger. You can end up consuming extra calories when a glass of water is really what you need.
Eat high fibre foods Foods containing lots of fibre can help keep you feeling full, which is perfect for losing weight. Fibre is only found in food from plants, such as fruit and veg, oats, wholegrain bread, brown rice and pasta, and beans, peas and lentils.
Read food labels Knowing how to read food labels can help you choose healthier options. Use the calorie information to work out how a particular food fits into your daily calorie allowance on the weight loss plan.
Use a smaller plate Using smaller plates can help you eat smaller portions. By using smaller plates and bowls, you may be able to gradually get used to eating smaller portions without going hungry. It takes about 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain it’s full, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.
Don’t ban foods Do not ban any foods from your weight loss plan, especially the ones you like. Banning foods will only make you crave them more. There’s no reason you cannot enjoy the occasional treat as long as you stay within your daily calorie allowance.
Don’t stock junk food To avoid temptation, do not stock junk food – such as chocolate, biscuits, crisps and sweet fizzy drinks – at home. Instead, opt for healthy snacks, such as fruit, unsalted rice cakes, oat cakes, unsalted or unsweetened popcorn, and fruit juice.
Cut down on alcohol A standard glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate. Over time, drinking too much can easily contribute to weight gain.
Plan your meals Try to plan your breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for the week, making sure you stick to your calorie allowance. You may find it helpful to make a weekly shopping list.
