The Executive Travel Protocol: Circadian Realignment
The Executive Summary Air travel, especially across time zones, creates a massive “mismatch” between your internal biological clock and the external environment. This leads to systemic inflammation, digestive distress, and cognitive impairment. We manage this through four primary levers: Strategic Fasting, Light Anchoring, Temperature Regulation, and Targeted Supplementation.
I. Pre-Flight: Setting the Anchor
Goal: Starting the synchronization process before wheels up.
The Fasting Protocol: Stop eating 4–6 hours before your departure. Digestion is a major circadian signal; by pausing intake, you effectively “unlock” your internal clock, making it easier to reset upon arrival.
Hydration Loading: Drink 1L of water with electrolytes (sodium/potassium/magnesium) 2 hours before boarding. Cabin air is exceptionally dry; systemic dehydration is a primary driver of jet lag fatigue.
II. In-Flight: The “Biological Dark Room”
Goal: Minimizing the inflammatory impact of the cabin environment.
The No-Food Rule: Avoid all airline meals. Digestion during flight is inefficient due to cabin pressure and disrupted enzymes. Stick to water, black coffee, or tea.
Control the Inputs: * Light: Wear blue-light blocking glasses or a high-quality eye mask.
Sound: Use noise-canceling headphones to reduce the “fatigue” caused by constant low-frequency engine hum.
Movement: Every 90 minutes, perform 2 minutes of calf raises or isometric stretches to maintain blood flow and prevent lower-limb edema (swelling).
III. Arrival: The Re-Sync Protocol
Goal: Force-feeding the brain new environmental data.
The Light Anchor (The most important step): Immediately upon arrival, get 15–20 minutes of direct sunlight into your eyes (no sunglasses). This tells your suprachiasmatic nucleus (the brain’s master clock) exactly where you are in the world.
The First Meal: Eat a high-protein meal at the local time for breakfast or lunch. This uses the thermic effect of food to signal that the day has begun.
Thermal Reset: Take a cold shower (to spike alertness) or a hot sauna/bath (to induce sleep) depending on the local time. Temperature is a powerful circadian “zeitgeber” (time-giver).
IV. The Travel Supplement Stack
Goal: Chemical assistance for transition.
Melatonin (Tactical Use): * Dosage: 0.5mg–3mg.
Protocol: Take 30 minutes before the local bedtime for the first 2 nights only. Do not use long-term.
Magnesium Glycinate: * Dosage: 400mg.
Protocol: Take before the first local sleep to combat the cortisol spike of travel.
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC): * Dosage: 600mg.
Protocol: Take during the flight. It helps the liver process the oxidative stress caused by cosmic radiation and poor air quality.
V. The “Grounding” Protocol
Exercise: Perform a brief, high-intensity workout (15 minutes) within 12 hours of arrival. This increases insulin sensitivity and helps “reset” your peripheral clocks in your muscle tissue.
Go Barefoot: If possible, walk barefoot on grass or sand. While it sounds “woo-woo,” the sensory input and temperature shift help the nervous system orient to the new environment.
Execution Note: The goal isn’t perfection; it’s the 80/20 rule. If you can only do one thing, make it Morning Sunlight Anchoring.