Jet Lag: Giving and Soliciting Tips to Avoid the Mushroom Effect

I'm about as creative as a mushroom at this point.  I haven't blogged since the day I left for Europe.  My body has been here 4 days.  My head is somewhere over the Atlantic.  Jet lag never seems to get easier.

Some things I have learned that do help jet lag:

1. Sleeping/resting/zoning with your eyes closed as much as possible on the airplane. This tip is not helpful if you have kids.
2. Hydrating.  A cup of water each hour and no alcohol, no matter how tempting it is.  I know nothing worse than a hangover mixed with jet lag.  That is one bad cocktail.
3. Reverting immediately to the new time schedule when you arrive.  That means, setting your clock to the new time zone and following accordingly the usual activities for that time of day.  If it's day where you are stay up until it's night.  It it's night pretend to sleep until it is day.  
4. Taking melatonin.  My husband swears by this.  It's supposed to reset your clock.     
5. Taking an epsom salt and baking soda bath.  I haven't tried this remedy yet, but it sounds like it's worth a try.  A hot bath is never bad.  After 7 international flights in the last 12 months, I'm willing to try anything at this point.  My step-mother, Pat, learned this remedy on her trip to Egypt from folks of the Edgar Cayce Association of Research and Enlightenment.    It worked for her on the15+ hr trip from NYC through Geneva to Cairo and then staying up in Cairo for dinner and then on the 18+ hr trip from Athens to NYC and then down to DC.   

As Pat says, "Mother was visiting in DC with Jane (her sister) and they met me at the DC airport the Saturday night before Easter.  Mother said, 'You sure won't be going with us to the National Cathedral for Easter,' and I said, 'Oh, yes, I will,' and I was absolutely fine the next day.  All I can tell you is it really worked for me -- and for others who did it.  My roommate (in Egypt) was a bit stubborn and 'knew better,' and it took her almost 3 days to get on Egypt time 'cause she wouldn't try it -- so that's the story!"

Here are her anti-jet lag instructions:

After a long flight (either direction), don't go to bed until the bedtime for the 'new location,' and before you go to bed, take a 'soaking bath,' in a regular tub to which you have added 1 cup each baking soda and epsom salts (I took them w/me in plastic bags in the suitcase for flight over), then dry off with towel being careful not to "cross your arms or legs over one another (e.g., the meridians) and go to bed, again being careful 'not to cross the meridians,' and lay on your back to go to sleep -- you'll wake up the next morning totally refreshed and on the 'new timezone.'

What else works for jet lag, folks?   Please tell us your jet lag stories, preventions, and remedies.  You are a wealth of experience and information.  Please share.