Do you sleep when traveling? How’s your eating? Are you making sure you’re healthy? I’m usually not one to think about these things, as I normally maintain a pretty regular diet, or at least try to, when traveling. But sometimes, it can be hard. 14 hour flight to India? Yeah, my system is a little messed up, not only with sleep, but also diet. Trip to Mexico got you feeling a little queasy? Been there. With so much travel these days, the glamorous life is often portrayed on social media and the likes. But what really goes down?

I’ve been traveling ever since I was a baby (literally, my first flight was to India to visit my mom’s family when I was 6 months old!) Growing up, we spent summers in Bombay, but the long flight never got any easier: we would arrive at midnight, and promptly be awake throughout the night. The following day would usually go something like this: visiting various family members, then falling asleep at 1 or 2 pm, usually a deep, deep slumber. I typically would chalk this up to the usual jetlag, and gleefully almost looked forward to it. To have jetlag meant that you were traveling, and that meant you were going somewhere new: you were going forward in time. But what was the science behind it? And is there a way to combat the side effects?

In order to learn more, I turned to Tuck. With resources that delve into the world of sleep, I was educated on why we get jetlag, including the ways it effects our body. Jetlag strongly affects those who travel, due to disruptions in our bodies circadian rhythm, also known as “day-night cycle.” When traveling, your body is going through a change of time zones, which can result in trouble falling asleep or waking up at ungodly hours. This well researched article breaks down the symptoms, signs and effects of Jetlag, finally getting to the science behind it all.

So can we resist it? Unfortunately, there isn’t really one cure to be found. Instead, Tuck suggests adjusting your bedtime accordingly to the place you are traveling to, or choosing overnight flights that can allow for a proper adjustment. On the plane, try to avoid caffeine and alcohol, as this can lead to further sleep disruptions: instead, drink plenty of water in order to stay hydrated. When arriving at your final destination, adjust your sleep to the new time zone: if arriving in the evening, try and sleep at a normal bedtime hour. If arriving during the day, try your best to stay awake, or limit a nap to 1-2 hours max.

The above tips are great, and I try my best to integrate them in my routine when traveling. But sometimes, you just can’t sleep. And sometimes, all you want to do is sleep. In addition, many of us travel for business and work, which sometimes makes it even harder to get to sleep because of packed schedules and long nights of socializing, often in a short amount of time. It’s tough to be on a regular schedule when traveling, but I say listen to your body. It’s no fun when you are in a new place, and don’t feel like yourself. Get the rest you need/want, and then take it all in. Trust me, you’ll enjoy it more.