Zephyr Melton
November 15, 2021
If you want to combat the effects of jet lag after a long flight, try this remedy from LPGA professional Lydia Ko.
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Welcome to Road Rules, a GOLF.com series where we select the minds of seasoned golf travelers, from professional golfers and caddies to global course reviewers and instructors. We’ll unlock their must-have travel articles, airline tips, and more to keep you informed for your next golf getaway.
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Professional golfers are jet setters by profession. One week they’ll be in the States and the next they’ll be on the other side of the world. Seeing so many parts of the world is a benefit of the job, but it can also be stressful on your body.
While modern air travel has connected the world more than ever, it can also present some challenges for athletes trying to compete at the highest level every week. Sitting on a plane for 12+ hours is exhausting for the body, even before jet lag is considered.
For domestic travelers, jet lag is the phenomenon that occurs when traveling through many time zones at the same time. While the clocks at your destination may indicate that it is the middle of the night, your body clock is still set to your jump point.
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That lack of synchronization between your body and the clocks might not be a big deal when the only thing on your daily agenda is shopping and tourist attractions, but it can be a nuisance for athletes preparing for a competition.
Fortunately for professional athletes – golfers in particular – their years around the world will make them experts on the best ways to combat jet lag. According to LPGA star Lydia Ko, the remedy is simple.
“Just sleep,” said Ko at the Pelican Women’s Championship last week. “My trick is sometimes – of course I don’t do that if I have a tournament the week after – but I won’t sleep the night before, so I’m very, very tired on the plane, so I sleep the whole flight.”
Ko said she got pretty good at that technique. So good that it will sometimes worry the flight attendants on their transcontinental flights.
Split image of lpga pro lydia ko at a golf tournament and an airplane flying away “Sometimes the flight attendants ask me if I’m okay because they worry that I’m sick because I missed a 15-hour flight.” . “For all the flight attendants out there, I’m probably the most reluctant, hands-free passenger on board.”
If you’re about to have a flight around the world, take a page from Kos book and pull through a whole night beforehand. It should allow you to get some Zs on the plane and wake up refreshed and ready to fly when the plane lands at your destination.
Zephyr Melton is Assistant Editor at GOLF.com, where he spends his days blogging, producing, and editing. Before joining the GOLF.com team, he attended the University of Texas, followed by stints with Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He supports in all matters of teaching and covers amateur and ladies golf.