If you’ve ever been on a long-haul flight, you’ll know about jet lag. That fuzzy disorientation paired with sleeplessness and headaches is enough to ruin the day of even the most hardened traveller.
Mistake 1. Not drinking enough water
Dehydration makes EVERYTHING worse. Humidity in a plane is low to begin with. To give you come context, here in NZ the average humidity is around 60%-80% depending on season and location – in a plane, humidity is around 12%. It’s vital to increase your water intake when you’re on a long-haul flight as you’ll lose moisture from your skin and breath. 
Mistake 2. Over-indulging on the alcohol
A wine or two (or three!) will help you relax and put you to sleep right? Not necessarily. A wine or beer with dinner is still great perk of air travel, but jet lag on top of a hangover is awful (also alcohol will have a greater effect on you due to the lower air pressure and low humidity).
Mistake 3. Staying up late the night before so you’ll sleep on the plane
Depriving yourself of sleep before a trip sounds like a good idea. After all, you’ll wear yourself out eventually… but this is a bit of a gamble. If you can’t get to sleep (eg turbulence/loud passengers etc) you’ll be absolutely shattered by the time you arrive. You’re best to play it safe and get a good nights sleep before you go.
Mistake 4. Watching a movie on your phone/tablet until you fall asleep
The bright light given off from your phone/tablet screen can interfere with your sleep cycle. Catching up on a move seems like a great way to relax before bed, you may be setting yourself up for a sleepless night and throwing your body clock out even further.
