Don’t let the title mislead you… I don’t actually mix the two, and I don’t even take them at the same time. However, If i’m flying across the Pacific or the Atlantic, it is usually for business, and thus it’s important to acclimate myself to the timezone as quickly as possible. I have discovered that Tylenol PM and 5 Hour Energy can make my acclimation much quicker!
When it comes to 5 Hour Energy, my strategy is pretty simple. I don’t take naps when I’m adjusting to a new timezone, and the 5 Hour Energy, when needed, helps me stay awake. The reason why I’ve chosen 5 Hour Energy over any other energy drink is that the little plastic bottles pack so easily. Furthermore, TSA has never found them in my bag… And if they were to find it, the bottles are only 1.93 ounces, well under the TSA limit of 3oz.
As for Tylenol PM, I use it in two situations. The first time I use it is when I need to sleep on a transcon flight. For example, I’ve been doing SFO-LHR pretty frequently, and it’s essential to sleep on that one. So I’l have a few alcoholic beverages when I get on the plane, and I’ll eat dinner. Then I’ll pop a tylenol PM, and I can usually get at least four hours of undisturbed sleep, sometimes more! I know some people wake up groggy with this stuff – so use at your own risk, but it really helps me conk out.
The second time I use Tylenol PM is my first night in the new timezone. At this point, I’ve managed to stay up the whole day so I’m already usually pretty exhausted. However, I STILL take one. The reason I do this is that I’ve found even if i’m tired, my biological clock will still wake me up too early. I remember a couple trips ago when I went to London, I managed to stay up the entire first day, and then at about 11PM, I went to bed. I woke up feeling totally refreshed, and i thought I had beaten jetlag already. Then I looked at the clock – 4AM. I couldn’t fall back asleep, and I felt crappy again the next day! Thus, I now take the Tylenol PM as a precautionary measure. Even if I feel tired, I’ll pop one, and it will force me to sleep an extra few hours.
Anyhow, I don’t use this for domestic trips or anything like that, but this works for me when I’m traveling overseas. Everyone has their own system, but if you find yourself often struggling with jetlag, give it a try!!
