The quick fix for my jet-lag blues

PERHAPS, like me, you love to travel but the first few days of a break can be spoiled by feeling exhausted due to jet-lag. I never seem to sleep well for a few nights after I’ve landed in a new location. I’m 50 this year and the problem seems to get worse as I get older. I also suffer from puffy legs and headaches. So when I was invited to try a treatment at the Hotel Royal Savoy in the Swiss city of Lausanne, I jumped at the opportunity.

THE SOLUTION

I travelled to Lausanne from the United States – the time difference is eight hours. Because it was a work trip, I wanted to arrive a couple of days early to try to shake off the effects of jet-lag and see if the massage really could help my uncomfortable symptoms.

The hotel, near the shores of Lake Geneva, was built in 1909 and boasts beautiful architecture and majestic gardens. It also has stylish rooms, two pools, and the opulent Le Spa Du Royal – the perfect place to relax.

THE TREATMENT

THE Anti-Jet Lag Massage (80 minutes, £185) is designed to ‘restore balance in the body by simultaneously creating deep muscular relaxation while activating and stimulating the circulation’.

I was also asked about my worst symptoms, so that the treatment could be tailored to me. It all started with a full-body massage using lavender oil, which might sound old lady-ish but it really did the trick.

Then essential oils of cedar and clove were applied to my legs in long sweeping strokes to clear the water retention – it’s a heady mix, and I found myself plummeting into a deep state of relaxation.

I’m not ticklish, so I agreed to the stomach massage, which targets digestion (mine always goes haywire when I’m away).

Then lemon rosemary camphor was massaged into my legs to give them a sense of spring. Finally, the same oil was applied to my face to wake up my sagging and dull skin.

The effect was immediate and I left the spa knowing I would get a really good sleep that night.

At the same time there was an alertness and spring in my step. I’d dropped the ‘wired and tired’ travel feeling.