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Moving can be difficult, especially with the added stress of adjusting to a change in time zone. The United States has nine different time zones, and though it may be easy to adjust to moving one state over, moving coast to coast requires a longer period of adjustment.
If you are moving long-distance, carefully decide whether you’ll take a plane or cover the distance on four wheels. Both options have their pros and cons, but nothing beats a scenic drive through all of the beautiful states the Unites States has to offer!
Whether it be New York to Los Angeles or Atlanta to San Francisco, the difference in weather is not the only thing that will take some getting used to! Read on for tips on how to prepare for your move across time zones.
Flying Cross-Country? How to Prepare for the Flight
Here are a couple of tips to assist you with your cross-country transition:
- Slowly adapt – If your schedule allows it, try adjusting your sleeping schedule to match your destination’s time zone. This will give your body the energy it needs to start moving in when you arrive.
- Rest for three days prior – Keep activities to a minimum in the days leading up to your move. Try to avoid last-minute packing!
- Go easy on alcohol, caffeine, and sugar – Cutting back on these three substances will prove useful when traveling through time zones. Furthermore, avoid heavy meals before the flight.
- Drink plenty of water – Staying hydrated helps the body adapt to a new sleeping schedule. Drink approximately 8 cups of water per day during the week leading up to your move.
Driving Cross-Country? How to Prepare for the Drive
Driving across the United States is a magnificent adventure and a wonderful way to experience the many landscapes of different states. Here are a couple of tips to take into consideration before you start your journey:
The United States has nine standard time zones. Going east to west they are:
- Atlantic Standard Time (AST)
- Eastern Standard Time (EST)
- Central Standard Time (CST)
- Mountain Standard Time (MST)
- Pacific Standard Time (PST)
- Alaskan Standard Time (AKST)
- Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HST)
- Samoa Standard Time (UTC-11)
- Chamorro Standard Time (UTC+10)
There are four main routes you can take when driving from the East Coast to the West Coast:
- The Northern Route – 3,500+ Miles / 51 hours
- The Middle-America Route – 2,800 Miles / 40 hours
- The Panhandle Crossing – 2,500 Miles / 36 hours
- The Southern Route – 2,650 Miles / 37 Hours
Since the journey is a slow change for your body clock, the drive through the time zones can feel like driving through a single time zone. If you pay close attention while driving, you will see signs that say that you’ve entered a different time zone and that it is time to turn back your clocks. You will have the feeling that you have “gained” or “lost” an hour on the clock, but it does not compare to the jet-lag shock you may feel when you take a flight.
