Let’s talk about the dreaded Hawaii jet lag. For many people, it’s the only downside to vacationing in Hawaii. The drowsiness during waking hours, and alertness during sleep hours can leaving you feeling…off. However, don’t worry, because we have tips and tricks to help you navigate your jet lag, so you can feel your best in paradise!

First things first, what is jet lag? Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder that affects you when you travel across time zones quickly, such as when traveling by plane. Put simply, your internal sleep clock is still set to your original time zone. It takes a little time for it to adjust to the new time zone. This results in poor sleep, and many people report feelings of grogginess and fatigue, similar to a hangover. The good news is that all jet lag is temporary, even Hawaii jet lag.

Hawaii Jet Lag

Hawaii is one of the most isolated places in the world. Although some do travel by sea, the vast majority of visitors to Hawaii arrive by airplane. In fact, Hawaii is so remote it has its own time zone, Hawaii Standard Time, or HST.

If you’re arriving from North America, you will gain time as you fly to Hawaii. Vacationers from the eastern U.S. and Canada can expect to gain five or six hours in Hawaii. Hawaii does not observe Daylight Saving Time, therefore during this period (mid-March thru early November) there is a six hour difference, and a five-hour difference otherwise. Subtract an hour from that with each time zone closer to Hawaii. For instance, Mountain Standard Time is four or three hours, depending on Daylight Saving Time. Conversely, you will lose the same amount of time you gained by going to Hawaii when you return home.

The result of these time zone differences is that when you are in Hawaii, your internal sleep clock may be telling you to go to bed when it’s not bedtime, or to wake up when it is time for sleep. If you’re not careful, this sleep confusion can negatively impact the first few days in Hawaii, and likewise when you return home.

Tips & Tricks to Help You Navigate Hawaii Jet Lag

Choose Flight Times Wisely

Although you may have to consider cost first when selecting your flights, we do recommend you factor in flight times as well. If sleep doesn’t come easy to you when flying, do your best to avoid overnight or red eye flights. Try to select flights that leave in the morning and arrive in Hawaii in the afternoon or early evening. Don’t forget  – although you’re traveling long distances, you’re gaining time as you fly west. If you do have to fly overnight, try to rest as much as possible on the plane. Noise-cancelling headphones, neck pillows and eye masks will help tremendously.

Skip the Nap

If you do arrive in Hawaii before nighttime, it will be tempting to squeeze in a little nap once you get settled at your resort. Resist this temptation! Certainly you’ll be tired, but this isn’t going to help your jet lag one iota. Instead, try to stay up until it’s your normal bedtime. This will help your body’s sleep cycle align itself with Hawaii time.

To illustrate, if you normally go to bed at 10pm, go to bed at 10pm HST your first night in Hawaii. Your body will be telling you to go to bed at 10pm “home” time, even if that is 4pm Hawaii time. If you did that, what time do you think you’ll wake up? More than likely it will be in the middle of the night in Hawaii, and thus starts the Hawaii jet lag cycle.

Make the Most of It

Even if you arrive in Hawaii early afternoon on Day 1, and stay up until your normal bedtime, chances are you still may wake up earlier than normal on Day 2. No worries! This is a great time to catch a beautiful Hawaiian sunrise, indulge in a hearty breakfast and get in early-morning activities or tours. Your body adjusts to the time difference as the days go by, so take advantage of the early wake-up time while it comes naturally. Once you adjust to Hawaii time, you may prefer to sleep in. When we schedule our all-inclusive Hawaii vacation packages, we always take jet lag into consideration.

A side note about breakfast in Hawaii. Often we hear from our clients that they don’t need breakfast included in their vacation, because they don’t eat it at home. Be that as it may, but your body clock affects your meal times too. When it’s 8am in Hawaii, it’s close to lunchtime at home. Therefore, your body thinks it skipped breakfast and now it’s lunchtime. To simplify: chances are good that you’ll eat breakfast in Hawaii. 😉

Hydrate to Combat Hawaii Jet Lag

Be sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water to help combat jet lag in Hawaii. Start on the flight. Anecdotal observations report dehydration as a contributing factor to jet lag, so be sure to reach for your water bottle often. Bonus tip: hydration also helps with sunburn.

Rest & Relaxation

As you’re easing your body into a new time zone, be sure to get plenty of R & R. Although it’s easy to want to cover as much ground as possible in Hawaii, you need time to rest and relax too. Unless you’re accustomed to taking naps at home, napping may not be the best remedy for jet lag, but you can still rest. Not only will this help you feel recharged, you’ll also go home feeling refreshed.

Don’t Forget About Return Jet Lag

Sometimes, no matter how much we love the place we’re visiting, by the end of a vacation we are ready to go. Like Dorothy wisely said, “There’s no place like home”. Something no one likes to mention is that the worst of the jet lag is reserved for the return trip home. That’s because you lose time when flying east. Instead of waking up earlier at home, you may find yourself wide awake at 3am. It’s harder to break this jet lag, because most people find it easier to stay awake, rather than fall asleep. For this reason, we recommend giving yourself an extra day to recuperate before having to go back to work or school. Also, bear in mind that due to the time difference you’ll most likely get home the day after you leave Hawaii.

All things considered, Hawaii is well worth the temporary discomfort jet lag may cause. If you follow these tips and tricks, you’ll be feeling like yourself in no time. Actually, even better – because you’ll be living it up in paradise!