Have you suffered from jetlag? (pssst, traveling with matcha could help!)
We’ve all been there — landing after a red-eye flight feeling sluggish, dehydrated, and exhausted. You have arrived at your destination, but you still feel entirely out of sorts, unable to go to the bathroom, and just too tired to go out and explore. Luckily there are ways you can try to naturally alleviate jet lag – such as drinking matcha when you travel!
Why quality matcha green tea may help you beat jet lag
There are countless jet lag tips that travelers swear by before long-haul flights – but the latest research points to drinking Matcha green tea powder when you are on-the-go.
That’s right! Matcha is becoming a popular tea to travel with due to its studied potential to reverse and reduce oxidative stress triggered by traveling, helping alleviate various symptoms of jet lag. (1)
The active and healthful compounds found in matcha may help alleviate symptoms of jet lag and help get you back on track and ready to get the most out of your next vacation or work trip.
The following article highlights exactly what jet lag is, along with six ways drinking matcha may help combat some of the most common symptoms of jet lag. (And we’ve also included a guide to some of the best travel matcha you can get when you are on the go!)
What is Jet lag? What are the symptoms of jet lag?
Jet lag, though it's often just waived off as part of travel inconvenience, is actually a recognized sleep disorder. And despite its limited duration, jet lag can still have harmful effects in high functioning individuals.
Jet lag occurs when your normal sleep pattern is disrupted after taking a long flight that crosses multiple time zones. It happens because of a disruption in your circadian rhythm through the rapid transitions between time zones, which causes a difference between your body clock and the local time of your destination. Generally, jetlag improves within just a few days, but if you are only traveling for a week that can feel like almost your entire trip. (2)
For frequent flyers, the symptoms of jetlag can seem unavoidable. The mains symptoms of jet lag include: (2)
- Tiredness and feeling exhausted
- Trouble sleeping at bedtime
- Difficulty waking up in the morning
- Hard time staying awake throughout the day
- Poor sleep quality
- Memory problems and trouble focusing
- Constipation and indigestion
- Changes in appetites
- Mild anxiety and dizziness
According to the National Institute of Health, there is no treatment for jet lag or prescribed medications.Though just in the past several years, the scientific community has begun to study different therapeutic strategies that may be effective against jet lag. (2)
6 Ways Matcha May Help Combat Symptoms of Jet Lag
1) Matcha to help keep your travel stress and anxiety in check
Unfortunately frequent air travel comes with an all-too common list of stressors: Not anticipating the check-in line being so long, the security checkpoint waiting time, the lack of healthy meal choices once in the terminal – oh and maybe the anxiety of being packed into a tight airplane full of strangers. Due to its extremely high levels of active natural compounds, like chlorophyll, L-theanine, caffeine and more, Matcha green tea can help you feel calm and relaxed at the airport and when in-flight.
2) Matcha to help beat travel exhaustion and give you a clean energy boost
According to the studies around matcha as a natural energy source, drinking matcha may also be a great way to combat exhaustion and the brain fog that accompanies air travel. Especially when matcha is compared to coffee! Unlike the energy boost you get from the caffeine in coffee, matcha gives you lasting, relaxed energy for 6 to 8 hours. Plus, the caffeine in matcha is processed differently than coffee, so your body is able to get restful sleep even when you drink a cup of matcha late in the afternoon or early evening.
3) Drinking matcha to stay more hydrated while flying
Most people assume that caffeinated beverages all cause dehydration due to their diuretic effects. Despite green teas like matcha containing caffeine, caffeine-containing teas are unlikely to dehydrate you. In fact researchers report that when consumed in small to moderate amounts (up to 3 cups) caffeinated drinks like green tea are as hydrating as water. In one study that compared people who drank nothing but tea for the 12-hour trial with those who drank the equivalent amount of boiled water, tea was found to have a hydrating effect equivalent to water. Among the two study groups, there was no difference in hydration levels between them. (3)
You can try bringing a packet of matcha and simply shaking it to mix-in with a large filtered bottle of water during or after your next long flight. Also a shaker bottle used for protein shakes makes for a great on-the-go matcha mixer as well!
4) Matcha to help you get a more restful night’s sleep
Matcha for better sleep? YES! According to studies, matcha has several natural compounds that can deliver benefits for sleep even after it gives you a boost of relaxed energy throughout your day. The anxiety and stress-reducing capabilities of L-theanine, a healthful compound found in matcha, make it a sleep-friendly supplement for those who may be on a stressful work trip. L-theanine also may reduce levels of cortisol, a stimulating hormone associated with the body’s stress response. Plus, because matcha delivers a more gradual release of caffeine into the bloodstream, it doesn’t disrupt sleep patterns like the caffeine in coffee often does. (4)
If you have flown, for example, from the US to Europe, it could be beneficial to try having a cup of matcha in the morning and in the early afternoon.
Don't have a mixer or shaker bottle but traveling with your matcha? Try bringing along your electric frother! It can make for a great travel-matcha accessory -- especially when paired with taller-style glasses.
5) Matcha to help keep your bathroom routine in check
Worried about a runny tummy or not being able to go to the bathroom after a long flight? There’s a good chance that drinking matcha may help you! As one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, matcha has been studied to help reduce inflammation and support gut repair and regeneration. The polyphenols found in matcha act as a prebiotic, which keeps our gut bugs fed and helps fortify our natural gut lining. In fact, in a recent clinical review on various therapies to treat traveler’s diarrhea, researchers have been looking at green tea extract being a potentially potent main ingredient for a dietary supplement.
Drinking more fluids such as matcha green tea has also been shown to help reduce constipation and help soften stool.
6) Matcha can help you to fast (& stay happy!) while flying
If you’ve looked up natural ways to combat jet lag, then chances are you’ve considered skipping the in-flight peanuts or that bag of gummies before boarding. Some scientists are looking into the impact fasting (i.e. not eating for a period of time) can have on your health before and during long-haul flights. The latest study points to fasting for 16 hours before your plane touches down — with the simple act of not eating helping reset your body clock.
We know that jet lag manifests in many ways – a headache, grumpiness, decreased alertness, the inability to sleep—or, sometimes, all of the above. If you are choosing to fast while flying, you can still enjoy an iced matcha or an on-the-go matcha mixed with a bottle of filtered water while you are traveling. Additionally, as a result of some studies, it's believed that matcha may help increase healthy dopamine and serotonin levels in your brain; matcha may help improve your mood and create a more balanced vibe.
What is the best matcha for travel? Travel With Matcha Kari Stick Packs
Looking for the best travel matcha and matcha for jet lag? On your next vacation – you can hit the ground running and prevent jet lag, thanks to Matcha Kari!
Traveling with our ceremonial matcha stick packs and drinking it when traveling may help support you through those few tiring hours before it's actually bedtime. It may also help keep your bowel movements happier & more regular, clear up brain fog, and even help you get more restful Zs once you do fall asleep.
We have also just recently released our Space Matcha, which easily lets you take your high-quality matcha while traveling without any powder mishaps or wasted matcha powder. It instantly dissolves!
The Bottom Line – take matcha on your next trip with you!
Too many frequent fliers fall into the trap of heading straight for a nap upon arrival – even when the day is just beginning and buzzing with excitement outside their hotel room walls. When you drink a high-quality matcha from matcha.com, you can help yourself to balance and energize your body while traveling, giving you more time to make the most of your travel experience.
As a reminder, it's always important to discuss any big changes to your day-to-day health habits with a trusted healthcare provider.
Remember that traveling is supposed to be an adventure! It is fun, different, and new, and not full of familiar stress and anxiety.
Shop Matcha.com On-The-Go Ceremonial matcha.
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References:
- Kishi, T., & Sunagawa, K. (2011). Experimental 'jet lag' causes sympathoexcitation via oxidative stress through AT1 receptor in the brainstem. Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual International Conference, 2011, 1969–1972. https://doi.org/10.1109/IEMBS.2011.6090555
- Ambesh, P., Shetty, V., Ambesh, S., Gupta, S. S., Kamholz, S., & Wolf, L. (2018). Jet lag: Heuristics and therapeutics. Journal of family medicine and primary care, 7(3), 507–510. https://doi.org/10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_220_17
- Ruxton, C. H., & Hart, V. A. (2011). Black tea is not significantly different from water in the maintenance of normal hydration in human subjects: results from a randomised controlled trial. The British journal of nutrition, 106(4), 588–595. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114511000456
- Unno, K., Noda, S., Kawasaki, Y., Yamada, H., Morita, A., Iguchi, K., & Nakamura, Y. (2017). Reduced Stress and Improved Sleep Quality Caused by Green Tea Are Associated with a Reduced Caffeine Content. Nutrients, 9(7), 777. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu9070777
