Exploring Natural Remedies for Jet Lag: Can CBD Help?

You're a jet-setter, a bag-checker, a city-explorer. Nothing can stop you from uncovering the hidden streets, savoring the best eateries and discovering the untold stories of every place you visit — except, maybe, jet lag.

Jet lag occurs when changes in time zone disrupt your circadian rhythm, causing your internal body clock to fall out of sync with the local time. As a result, you may slink off the plane feeling tired, irritable or unable to concentrate. It can interfere with sleep patterns, digestion and overall energy, making it hard to enjoy those first few days of your trip.

While there are many suggested jet lag remedies, from adjusting your sleep schedule to staying hydrated, an increasing number of travelers are exploring CBD as a potential solution. But can CBD really help with jet lag, and how does it work?

Achieving Balanced Travel

First things first: Can you bring CBD on the airplane? If you’re flying within the United States, the answer is yes.

In 2018, the federal government legalized the production and sale of hemp-derived CBD under the Farm Bill, provided the product contains less than 0.3% THC — the psychoactive compound in cannabis. This means that as long as your CBD product meets the federal guidelines, it’s legal to carry with you on domestic flights.

However, it’s important to note that while CBD is federally legal, some states and localities may have additional restrictions, so it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the laws of your destination.

Additionally, make sure your CBD product is properly labeled and in its original packaging to avoid any confusion with TSA officers. If you’re traveling internationally, the rules around CBD can vary greatly, so read up on the query “can I travel with CBD internationally?"and always check the regulations of your destination country before packing your CBD.

How Does CBD Work?

Today, you can find CBD products in various forms, from our CBD hemp pills and CBD gummies for sale to our topical CBD balms and premium CBD hemp oils for sale.

Whether you ingest it or apply it to your skin, it’s believed that CBD interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system. This system, discovered in 1988, is a vast network of receptors that primarily habitat the central nervous system and the immune system.

These receptors bind to naturally occurring cannabinoids — the same substances found in cannabis plants — to regulate such processes as:

Learning and memory
Digestion and metabolism
Mood and emotional responses
Immune system function
Hunger signals
Reproductive system function
Sleep and wake cycles

When CBD, a cannabinoid, enters the body, researchers believe that it can interact with these receptors in a similar manner to the body’s endocannabinoids, thus helping to regulate the same functions.

In the case of sleep and jet lag treatment, CBD may help by promoting relaxation. Specifically, CBD may interact with serotonin in the brain to ease feelings of worry associated with travel that may stop you from getting adequate rest during air travel.

Some studies also show that CBD may help to lengthen the time in which you sleep. However, it may also negatively impact the overall sleep architecture, potentially reducing the amount of REM sleep, which is essential for cognitive function and emotional regulation.

As such, while CBD can be beneficial for some aspects of the sleep-wake cycle, its effects may vary among individuals, and it's important to consider the potential trade-offs of using it as a jet lag cure and discuss its effects with your healthcare provider before taking it before a long haul flight.

Beyond CBD: Natural Ways to Ease Jet Lag

In addition to CBD, you can also equip your travel day with a variety of natural jet lag remedies and sleeping tips to help minimize its effects. These include:

Staying hydrated – Airplanes often have low humidity levels, leading to dryness that can leave you feeling parched and fatigued. Drinking plenty of water before, during and after your flight is essential to combat this dehydration and keep your energy levels up, helping you feel more refreshed upon arrival. In general, following these hydration tips is key when it comes to how to stay healthy while traveling.
Getting enough light – Our body’s circadian rhythms naturally respond to light exposure. In the darkness, melatonin levels trigger sleep. In the daylight, melatonin production decreases, helping us feel alert and awake. To readjust your internal circadian clock to the local time, spend as much time as you can outside, under the sun. If needed, you can also bring a sunlamp along.
Drinking caffeine – There’s a reason why so many people reach for the coffee pot in the morning: It’s a natural stimulant that helps boost alertness and combat fatigue. Whether you’re sipping on a can of coke before you land or grabbing a chocolate bar as you explore the city streets, the caffeine can help to provide you with that much-needed energy boost to combat travel fatigue and keep you going throughout the day.
Using melatonin – It’s common for those who experience jet lag symptoms to have difficulty falling asleep in their new time zone. Melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles, can be a helpful ally in easing this transition. When taken as a supplement, melatonin can signal to your body that it’s time to sleep, making it easier to fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment. For best results, consider taking melatonin supplements about 30 minutes before you plan to sleep in your new time zone. It’s important to use it strategically, starting a few days before your trip to help reset your internal circadian clock and ease jet lag symptoms. However, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before using melatonin supplements, especially if you have existing health conditions or are taking other medications for sleep quality, such as sleeping pills like nonbenzodiazepines or benzodiazepines.

Conquer Jet Lag Naturally With CBD

Adding a CBD gummy or CBD chewable tablet to your packing list may help to combat the daytime sleepiness you experience after a long flight, allowing you to enjoy your new destination to the fullest.

For a CBD product you can trust on and off the plane, there is Zebra CBD.

Our premium CBD products are crafted with premium hemp extract and third-party-tested to ensure purity and potency. From CBD edibles to CBD topicals, we have the travel day arsenal you need to feel your best.

Stay grounded while you fly with Zebra CBD.

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