Steps To Prevent Jet Lag

Almost everyone who travels by air is affected by jet lag. Jet lag usually occurs when one crosses multiple time zones in a relatively short time. This disrupts your circadian rhythms, confusing your natural 24 hour “body clock”, which regulates your waking and sleeping hours. Symptoms of jet lag includes fatigue, insomnia, disorientation, headaches, giddiness, lost of appetite and digestive problems and many more. The condition seems acute if you fly from west to east because it is more difficult for your body to adjust to “losing time” when you journey east than to “gaining time” when you fly from east to west. The more time zones crossed during a flight, the higher the possibility and intensity of jet lag one will experience. Here are a few tips to help you avoid jet lag, and prevent it from ruining the first few days of your next vacation or business trip:

1. A few days before your trip, start changing your sleep patterns to match the schedule you will need to keep at your destination. Adjust your bedtime by an hour a day to help avoid jet lag during your trip.

2. Resetting your watch at the beginning of your flight may help you adjust more quickly to the time zone you’ll be visiting.

3. Drink plenty of water—before, during and after your flight. The air on planes is extremely dry, dehydration can worsen the effects of jet lag.

4. Avoid alcohol or caffeine during your flight. (That includes many soft drinks as well as coffee or tea.) Both alcohol and caffeine increase dehydration.

5. Stay awake during your flight if it is daytime at your destination. Watching movies, reading, talking with other passengers or just walking the aisles will help to avoid sleeping at the wrong time.

6. On the other hand, if it is night time at your destination, sleep on the plane. Ask for a “no-disturb” sticker from the aircrew and use earplugs, headphones, eye masks or other sleep aids to help block out noise and light, and a travel pillow to make yourself more comfortable so you can sleep.

7. Exercise as much as you can on the flight while you’re awake. This is to help stimulate blood circulation and prevent jet lag. Simple stretches or walking up and down the aisles when the seat belt sign is turned off or even squeezing a rubber ball or a pair of socks will help.

8. Eat lightly but strategically. Depending on your body type and needs, you may need to adjust your food consumption during the flight and on the trip to avoid unnecessary jet lag conditions. Note that high protein meals are likely to keep you awake, foods high in carbohydrates will promote sleep, and fatty foods may make you feel sluggish.

9. Melatonin is a natural hormone produced by our bodies, and has been recently claimed to help “cure” jet lag by promoting sleep. This can be purchases as a supplement at most health food stores. There is also a homeopathic product called “No Jet Lag” which is said to assist in curing jet lag, and can be found in many retail outlets that sell travel supplies.

10. Try to arrive at your destination a day or two earlier before engaging in important activities that may require a lot of energy or sharp intellectual focus. This will allow your body to adjust to the time different a little more gradually.