In this day and age when the world is more connected than ever before, travelling, whether it is for business or personal, has become an essential part of living in a globalised world. No doubt, travelling frees the mind and soul. It allows us to release all the stress pent up from things such as work, studies and other sources of pressure. However liberating, it may still take a toll on the body. One very observable effect is on the skin due to changes in climate, sleep patterns, environmental factors, etc.

Frequent travellers and globetrotting aficionados will testify that part and parcel of travelling is to suffer from jet lag, especially from long-haul flights when you can spend 18 hours or more in the air. As we try to readjust to the different time zones we experience the ills of jet lag such as headaches, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping and many others. In fact, ask any frequent traveller and they will usually say that of all the pains of travelling, jet lag is perhaps the most annoying of all.

 

Dark Circles: Why They Affect Us During Our Travels

When we travel, we tend to neglect our eyes during our skin care regime as we hydrate and moisturize ourselves lesser than we should. Though some cases of dark eye circles are due to genetics, they may form and worsen due to a lack of proper care and attention. It may get to a state no amount of makeup can mask the nightmare.

Beyond the unfriendly sleep environments planes and cruises (especially in a storm) provide, our body also takes time to adjust to the new time zone; the larger the difference, the harsher the effects. The same can’t be said for those who travel from Asia to Europe (or vice versa), where there is bound to have some time difference. As we adjust, we may experience difficulty sleeping, being energetic at times we should be asleep and being sleepy when we should be awake. Fighting our primal instincts for self-preservation for the benefit of making the best out of our travel itinerary is not exactly a healthy way to treat our bodies, and has an adverse effect on the skin around our eyes.

Interested in finding out how to be better prepared for your upcoming travel? Read on to find out more travel tips to treat your eyes better and prevent those unsightly dark circles!

 

Tips to Cope With Dark Circles During Your Travels

1. Prepare Your Body Clock

For those who are travelling to another city with a substantial amount of time difference and looking to make full use of their holidays, this is a must read! In order for you to cope better with the big change between time zones, you can consider adjusting your sleeping patterns a few days before your trip. If there is a 6 hour difference (6 hours ahead), consider heading to bed an hour earlier for at least 3 nights before your trip as you are crossing 3 time zones, or vice versa when the new zone is 6 hours behind. This will help you to cope from any jet lag symptoms better and reduce the likelihood of causing unnecessary stress to your under-eye lids.

2. Get Sufficient Rest at Home

Start your trip on the right foot by getting sufficient rest. Sleeping is the time when the body regenerates, repairs and promotes skin renewal. A lack of sleep results in slower blood flow and poor skin complexion, causing the flow of darker, deoxygenated blood around your eyes more visible and look more dull and pale. Considering that travelling by nature takes a toll and causes stress on the body, you will not want to reach your destination feeling and looking all tired after spending so much money and effort booking the trip.

3. Adjust Your Sleep Accordingly

It is important that you keep to this ritual of making adjustments to your sleeping patterns according to your destination’s time zone which essentially means sleeping when the destination is asleep. We know it’s difficult to keep up when you are in the plane but do consider some of these tips:

  • Put on an eye mask to eliminate any light
  • Wear earplugs to avoid being disturbed by noises
  • Keep yourself warm with a blanket

Lastly, avoid watching any videos at least an hour prior to the time you plan to sleep as blue light emitted from the screen may “disturb” your body clock.

4. Protect Your Eyes With Shades

When it comes to sunlight, the shades are your best friend. By wearing shades, this protects your eyes against harmful UV rays.

 

Enjoy Your Travels

Travelling allows you to explore and immerse yourself in the different cultures and food that the country offers. However, it is also important that not to overlook your health, especially getting sufficient rest in order to combat dark circles and jet lag symptoms. If proper care is not taken as you age, dark circles and jet lag symptoms may worsen.

To conclude, give your body some time to adjust to the time zone change. Don’t beat yourself too much if you are unable to adjust within a day!