Top Tips for Getting Grounded Once You Land in Nicaragua

By: Kayla Nielsen

Ugh, jet lag is the worst. And, the truth is, it can happen during ANY travel, not just to/from Nicaragua, of course. So, regardless of if you’re coming here, or going elsewhere, these tips will undoubtedly help you settle in with a little more ease and comfort. 

Digestion

During your travels to Nicaragua, start eating as if you’re already in the time zone of your destination. Digestion is a HUGE contributor to jet lag, as when we feel hungry it might be hard to sleep. If you work on syncing up your meal schedule with the region where you’re headed when you’re on your way there, it can really help you land a bit more firmly.

Cooked Food

I know it can be tough to make this happen in airports and throughout travels, but I can’t recommend full meals and cooked food enough. This applies to transit, AND to your first meal on arrival. 

Why? Because cooked foods are easier on our digestion, and often leave us with a denser feeling (as opposed to snacking only on fruit, for instance). That dense feeling is GOOD thing when it comes to grounding, as it pulls us more completely into our body. 

If you’re extra like me, and want to go the extra mile in prepping your meals for transit and arrival- aim for root veggies like sweet potato, beets, carrots, parsnip, and earthy portions like lentils or chickpeas. 

Natural Light

Do your best to sync up your Circadian Rhythm with your new time zone. If you arrive in the morning, try to expose yourself to as much natural light as possible. This doesn’t mean you need to lay in the sun, it just means your body and eyes are in natural light, even if you’re in a shaded place.

If you arrive at night, try to avoid blue light (like your screen) in an effort to wind down more easily and sleep through the night. In the morning, open your curtains to absorb some of that yummy morning light. 

Lose The Shoes

That’s right, we’re going full hippie in this one. Take a barefoot walk around the property of the place you’re staying. If you’re staying with us, you’ll fit right in, as we’re all a bunch of barefoot jungle rats wandering around. 

Walking barefoot is otherwise known as “earthing,” and it’s been proven to aid in better sleep and lower inflammation, which is clearly great for your overall health regardless of your travels. However, it’s important to know that sleep is (obviously) impacted by jet lag and travel, and so is inflammation after long flights, poor circulation, and poor sleep.

Get Outside

If you’re coming to Nicaragua then it will be easy for you to wake up and jump in the ocean or into a lake. Water is abundant here! Getting in a natural water source right away will, of course, help to wake you right up, and also to cleanse the last lingering bit of the flight off of you. 

However, ANY nature will do. This can be something as simple as going for a walk to get your bearings, or setting up in a hammock on the beach under the shade of a coconut tree. Just get outside, breathe fresh air, and connect to the climate you’re currently in. 

Movement

This one might feel tough, especially if you’re feeling tight and sticky post-flight. Trust me, I get it, it’s hard to jump out of bed bright eyed and bushy tailed after a long journey and lack of sleep. The good news is that a little movement goes a long way. 

I personally like to pair this one with nature, because moving in nature is my favorite medicine. This might means something like a morning surf, a gentle beach walk, a nature trail, or stretching on the grass. 

If you’re feeling more cocoon-like and private, you can certainly roll out your mat in your room and go through a gentle, but effective flow to work through those areas of tension. 

Remember that when we travel, we are literally uprooting ourselves from one place, and planting ourselves somewhere new. Think about the Earth Element when you think about how to ground down and fully arrive to your destination. 

We hope you land here with us soon!