Look, the scene is this: you've just landed in Tokyo, New York or Bangkok. Outside the sun is shining, it's two in the afternoon and the city is buzzing with life. But your body? Your body thinks it's four in the morning, you haven't showered in over 20 hours and you feel like your brain has been run over by a truck.
Welcome to the wonderful world of jet lag.
Crossing several time zones throws your body's internal clock into chaos. If you're not careful, you're going to spend the first three days of your dream holiday sleeping during the day and staring at the hotel room ceiling at night.
So you don't fall asleep face-first in your bowl of Pad Thai at the first dinner, Martin brings you the ninja tricks to trick your body clock:
1. Hack Your Clock As Soon As You're on the Plane ⌚
The moment you sit down in your seat and the plane takes off, immediately change the times on your phone and watch to the destination time zone. Forget what time it is in Portugal.
If it's nighttime at the destination, try to sleep on the plane (use the headphones and a sleep mask). If it's daytime at the destination, drink a coffee, watch some films and force yourself to stay awake. The psychological war starts here.
2. The Nap Is a Deadly Trap 🛏️
You arrive at the hotel exhausted, throw the bags into the corner and stare at the bed. Those white sheets seem to be calling your name. You think: "I'll just close my eyes for 20 little minutes to recharge." Don't do it!
You'll wake up 12 hours later, in the middle of the local night, wondering what year it is. Unless you're hallucinating from exhaustion, hold strong until at least 9pm local time.
3. The Sun Is Your Best Coffee ☀️
Sunlight is the master switch of our brain. It's what tells your body to stop producing melatonin (the sleep hormone). So as soon as you land, get out into the street!
Go for a walk, explore the neighbourhood, sit on a sunny terrace. Hiding in the dark hotel room unpacking is the fast track to sleep hitting you hard.
4. Coffee Is Strategic (Don't Drink Buckets) ☕
Caffeine is your friend, but it has to be used with military precision. If you land in the morning, a strong coffee is mandatory. But if you spend the day downing espressos to stay awake, when you finally get to bed at night (at the right local time), your eyes will be wide open and your heart racing. Cut off caffeine after teatime!
The Worst Jet Lag Is Always the Return...
Out there the holiday is magical and the excitement helps fight off the sleep. But the return to Portugal? That one doesn't forgive.
You land in Lisbon or Porto looking like a zombie, the holidays are over, the post-trip blues are starting to kick in and you just want to throw yourself into your own bed.
In this state of deep exhaustion, the last thing you want to do is stand around for half an hour, in the cold or the heat, desperately waiting for an Uber with surge pricing or in an endless taxi queue. You don't want to drag heavy suitcases onto a bus either.
The trick for a painless return is called Multipark.
If you were smart and took your car to the airport before the trip, the Multipark team takes care of the rest. We keep your vehicle safe with our Valet Parking service.
When you land exhausted, all you have to do is walk through the Arrivals door. Our driver will be there waiting for you, with your machine clean, warm in winter or cool in summer, ready to drive off. It's just sit, drive home listening to your music and collapse into bed.
Don't suffer more than you need to on the return. Run a quote and book your spot on the Multipark site and travel without a worry from start to finish!
