If you’ve crossed more than one time zone during a flight, you know how it can mess up your mind and body. For me, jet lag strikes worse when I’m traveling east and regardless which direction I’m heading, the trip home is always more taxing. Try these tips to minimize feeling like a troll when you’re traveling.

• Rest up before you leave home. Start adjusting your bedtime by a half hour each day the week leading up to departure. Dr. Breus says our bodies need one full day of adjusting for each time zone we cross.
• Stay hydrated and rest during the flight. GoGirlfriend contributor, Ashley Welton, has a great list of carry-ons to keep you healthy.
• Adhere to the local time zone. It might be tempting to crash when you arrive but stay up until it’s time to go to bed so you’re not up at 3 am twiddling your thumbs.
• Take a shower or bath before bed. Raising your temperature in the water and then slipping into cool sheets relaxes your muscles. This trick always works for me.
• Forget prescription cures. Drugs like Ambien can give you a sleep hangover and interfere with your ability to enjoy your destination.

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