Some believe jet lag is all in your head, whereas others find themselves struggling with lengthy flights. holidays falling asleep By midday and querying, 'What time is it actually?'
The sole drawback of exploring the globe is something travelers have been attempting to dodge for decades.
Some enjoy gallons of tea. coffee , or consume large amounts of bananas Yes, truly, it’s due to the potassium. Some opt for sleeping pills, however, they can lead to addiction and their effectiveness varies.
So, when I traveled over 16,895 kilometers from London to Sydney I thought I had to resign myself to my situation—until an Aussie coworker suggested the app Timeshifter, which, as you might guess, transformed my life.
What is the functioning of the Timeshifter application?
Timeshifter was conceived by technology entrepreneurs Mickey Beyer-Clausen and Jacob Ravn, alongside Dr. Steven W Lockley, a specialist in circadian rhythms, who provides his expertise. NASA astronaut training.
Your circadian rhythm is more commonly referred to as your body clock. body clock , and crossing time zones disrupts this pattern.
As stated by Timeshifter, the app integrates 'the sole components proven to recalibrate the body clock', which include light-dark exposure and melatonin, alongside factors that 'ease the symptoms' such as light, melatonin, caffeine, and napping.
The idea is straightforward. Enter your flight date and time, and a personalized schedule will be generated for you. The initial plan comes at no cost, but subsequent plans are priced at $9.99 (£7.97).
A $24.99 (£19.94) yearly subscription that provides limitless plans.
You'll receive instructions on when to rest, nap, seek or dodge sunlight, as well as guidance on drinking coffee or gulping down supplements.
Since melatonin requires a prescription in the UK, I won’t be using it. However, you can provide this information to Timeshifter, and they will adjust your schedule accordingly.
Testing out Timeshifter
I was scheduled to depart at 9 am on a Sunday, but found myself starting my preparations on the Friday prior instead. I received instructions to wake up by 7 am and hit the hay before 10 pm.
On Saturdays, the schedule changed by an hour, so I found myself awake at 6 am. on a Saturday ) and be in bed by 9 pm.
The appointed day arrived for my flight when I needed to wake up at 3 am. It seemed rather harsh since I wasn't scheduled to depart for the airport until 5:30 am.
Timeshifter also advised me to manage my caffeine intake strictly, as it had become quite essential for me.
I required some illumination as well, you know, but unfortunately, it was quite dim. Therefore, I turned on all the lights in my apartment, hoping this might achieve the desired outcome.
Things began to take an odd turn as I hopped onto my morning flight around 9 am. At this point, I was prohibited from consuming caffeine, whereas my co-passengers were enjoying their espressos.
Nevertheless, I had faith in the procedure, and as soon as it hit 3 pm London time and bedtime rolled around, I genuinely started feeling quite drowsy.
Timeshifter advised me to nap for 60 minutes prior to reaching my destination. Doha At 4 PM UK time, which is 6 PM local time here. I figured I might as well catch some sleep at the airport, but my nervous side was too terrified about potentially missing my connection, so I remained wide awake instead.
Two hours later (8 pm in Doha), I found myself onboard. another The flight would take a lengthy 14 hours, so it was time to get some rest again. Easier said than done, I ate something and spent about an hour watching "Ocean’s 11" before eventually drifting asleep.
To be honest, the military timetable introduces a layer of stress that makes relaxation quite difficult. Nonetheless, I adhered to it as closely as possible and was typically just around an hour off from my scheduled plan.
I needed to set an alert to wake up after six hours, following the instructions from Timeshifter, and began consuming coffee aggressively. This seemed somewhat contradictory. Late at night in both the UK and Doha, most of my co-passengers were asleep.
Nevertheless, I followed instructions and viewed "Oceans 8" and "12" prior to my last planned nap at 8 AM in Doha, which would be six hours after. At this point, I genuinely lost track of time, thus I appreciated having Timeshifter make choices for me.
An hour later, I woke up just as the plane began to descend, and it was 5 pm in Sydney. Surprisingly, I felt quite alright.
After a 14-hour flight, I felt like Andy Dufresne escaping from Shawshank. Despite having cabin fever and a stiff neck, I was surprisingly wide awake.
At the hotel, I had dinner without dozing off into my noodles, and soon after, it was time to hit the hay.
After returning to our hotel rooms, my companions noted that they felt quite alert since it was still morning in the UK, whereas I was eager to call it a day.
I slept very soundly.
The next day, my fellow travelers talked about their exciting evenings. One of them actually woke up at 3 am and went on a ferry ride around Sydney Harbour during the sunrise. In contrast, I had been snoozing peacefully throughout the night.
As others complained and reached for sleep aids over the following days, I felt quite pleased with how my Timeshifter experiment had gone.
Ever since, I've been enthusiastically recommending it to everyone who would listen. If you're embarking on a long-haul journey, I cannot endorse it highly enough.
Have a tale you'd like to tell?
Reach out via email LifestyleTeam@.co.uk .
To receive additional must-see travel news, features, and inspiration directly in your inbox every week, subscribe to 's The Getaway newsletter.