Jin Shin Jyutsu for Jet Lag
If you’re travelling somewhere nice, but have to sit in a plane for many hours before arriving, you’ll probably spend a few days at the other end getting over that hungover, out of sorts feeling. Luckily, there is a sequence of Jin Shin Jyutsu holds to help you cope with jet lag, or even prevent many of the symptoms.
I remember discovering the power of these holds when I went to stay with a friend in the US. Travelling westward is not as bad as travelling eastward. That’s harder on the body, so on my way back to the UK I decided to hold each one of my thumbs and fingers, over and over throughout the flight.
I held them while watching movies, and when I fell asleep.
When I got back, I was amazed at how well I felt, for starters. Then I noticed that all the usual jet lag symptoms were pretty much absent.
Watch the Video Where You Can Practice Along
Jet lag is more than just tiredness
Jet lag is much more than just tiredness because you haven’t slept during a flight.
It’s that hungover feeling, often accompanied by a headache, brain fog, problems with concentration, a messed up digestive system, loss of appetite and yes, all the problems with sleep. You can’t fall asleep, can’t stay asleep, or can’t stay awake when you’re meant to.
Ugh!
When the body’s biorhythms are out of sync with your environment and the time zone you are in, the whole system can feel out of sorts.
The body, being of course very intelligent, will reset itself eventually. But why spend the first few days of your holiday or visit feeling awful when you can help the body cope so much more easily?
And the nice thing about this Jin Shin Jyutsu exercise is that it is so simple.
Plane seats are not exactly conducive to practising lots of Jin Shin Jyutsu! But you don’t need much room for this. You can do it while watching a film, listening to something, resting, or even while falling asleep.
A simple Jin Shin Jyutsu exercise for jet lag (and much more)
Wrap your right hand around the left thumb, then
the left index finger, then
the left middle finger, then
the left ring finger, then
the left little finger.
Release the hands to do the other side.
Wrap your left hand around the right thumb, then
the right index finger, then
the right middle finger, then
the right ring finger, then
the right little finger.
No pressure is needed. Just wrap the hand around the thumb or finger and relax the hands.
When you’ve completed the first round, start again with the left thumb and keep going.
You can hold each finger for one minute, five minutes, ten minutes or as long as you like.
In fact, if one finger feels really good, then hold that one longer.
Whenever your hands are free during the flight, hold a finger.
And if you fall asleep holding one, that’s absolutely fine too. It’ll still keep working.
Why does this Jin Shin Jyutsu for jet lag work?
When we hold a finger, we harmonise 14,400 energy functions. So holding each thumb and finger, all ten of them, harmonises all our 144,000 energy functions.
In Jin Shin Jyutsu, everything comes back to the fingers.
Holding them helps us to recalibrate, recenter, rebalance and reharmonise our whole being, on every level.
And when we travel, it helps keep the energy moving.
When we sit for many hours, the physical body is stuck in one position. Sitting also overloads the digestive system, especially when we add plane food, different eating times and disrupted sleep into the mix.
Holding the fingers is a very easy way to help keep the energy moving through the whole body. It works for everything! See another post with more explanation: Jin Shin Jyutsu Finger Method: The Power of Holding the Thumbs and Fingers
And you don’t have to remember complicated sequences or holds.
You always have your fingers with you.
So next time you’re on a long flight, start with the thumb and work your way through all ten fingers. Then start again.
It’s certainly something I do whenever I fly because I still remember how amazed I was when I arrived home from the US and hardly felt jet lagged.
Want to practice Jin Shin Jyutsu in a guided environment?
If you’d like to deepen your Jin Shin Jyutsu practice, I offer weekly group sessions where people from around the world come together to explore harmonising exercises in a supportive space. Each week brings a new focus and a shared sense of calm.
Learn more here:
Jin Shin Jyutsu Weekly Group Practice
Want a quick overview of the 26 Safety Energy Locks?
This one-session class gives you a clear, practical introduction to all 26 Safety Energy Locks. You will learn how to locate and hold each one comfortably, with simple self-help guidance to help you feel more familiar and confident using them in daily life.
Learn more here:
Intro/Review to the 26 Safety Energy Locks