Resetting my Body Clock at 38,000 Feet

Waking up in my airport pod, I head over to the Qatar Business Lounge for a quick shower and snack before launching into the final flight — next stop: Málaga. Qatar unfortunately doesn’t let us lowly Emeralds into their First Class lounge, but the Business one is more than enough. I grab some freshly made mint tea at the bar and the tiniest portion of French toast.

The morning sun is helping me slide into the right time zone. I can’t believe Doha and Spain are only one hour apart, yet this flight is seven hours long! Natural sunlight suppresses melatonin — the hormone that tells your body to sleep — so catching the sun helps reset my body clock. I’d planned this trip to avoid overnight flights where possible. The last one wasn’t technically overnight, but it was dark the whole time, which worked fine. Today’s flight is all about staying awake and keeping that melatonin at bay.

Hunter-gatherer mode activated, I go looking for my favourite aircraft type — the Airbus A350 — which will be taking me to Spain. Sadly, this one doesn’t feature Qatar’s famous Qsuites. Instead, it has the same open-style seats as their A380s. No privacy, but it makes the cabin feel really light and airy (windows permitting). I slide into 3A and immediately open the blinds for some melatonin-busting sunshine.

I’ve been talking a lot about sunshine, yeah? I haven’t suddenly decided to go all science-y on you — this is a common gripe in the avgeek community. As I write this mid-breakfast at 9:14am Málaga time, all the window blinds are closed. Well, almost all — I’m the rebel with a cause. I’ve compromised and left the light-filtering shade down, so the sun’s a little muted. Sadly, I can’t see Saudi Arabia below anymore.

Bit of a rant, but seriously — it’s 9am, folks. Sleeping now will wreck your body clock. (Says the person with terrible sleep patterns.) Alright, sleep rant over before someone brings up my many naps. Back to breakfast: I had the fruit plate, some pastries, and an açaí bowl. I love açaí and thought, why not have it in the sky? It was okay — the food is always beautifully presented but seems to miss that spark.

I watch Pitch Perfect 2 on the IFE while finishing breakfast and starting this blog post. The movie selection is a bit underwhelming, if I’m honest. The Wi-Fi’s also a little slow, but it does the job — not fast enough for streaming, unless you’re lucky enough to be on a Starlink-equipped plane. (This one isn’t.) Ironically, the slower Wi-Fi costs money, while Starlink is free! As we leave Saudi Arabia, the flight path curves around Jordan and into Egypt before turning more north toward the Mediterranean.

Eventually, I give in to peer pressure and take a morning nap. To be fair, I take naps a lot anyway. I slip into the medium-sized PJs — a much better fit than last time — and get an hour of rest. Let’s just call it getting ready for Spain.

The anytime dining service comes in handy, and I order my burger a little earlier than usual. I’m impressed — the burger and chips are solid, not soggy. Yum. Dessert is a cheesecake that’s practically begging for a glass of champagne, so I oblige. Dessert? Delicious. Easily the best part of the meal.

Later, I have a quick boogie in my seat to A Night with Kylie — I do love a musical at 38,000 feet. Kylie stirs memories of past concerts and happy nights. She’s such an entertainer. Shame the seat doesn’t offer much privacy for a full-on dance routine.

Excited to get on the ground in Málaga, I finish the flight with a Coke or two and a few episodes of The Golden Girls. I’m more than ready to swap airplane lighting for the golden glow of the Costa del Sol. My plans for a gentle afternoon of sightseeing to fight off the jet lag are calling.

Hello, European summer 2025! ☀️🇪🇺Read more