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Most of us have experienced jet lag, but don’t know what causes it or how to counteract it. Jet lag is an interruption in your body’s circadian rhythms. Eating and exercising properly both before and during a flight as well as resting and doing a few simple exercises can help control its effects, which can lead to more serious conditions if left untreated.
It can go by the names of desynchronosis, dysrhythmia, dyschrony, or jet syndrome, but most of us know it as jet lag. Anyone who travels long distances by plane has undoubtedly felt its effects, but would be hard-pressed to explain what it really is. You can get jet lag simply by crossing one or two time zones. You feel tired or crabby during your trip, and can’t get back asleep at night or wake up on time when you get home. Jet lag is actually a physiological condition which occurs with an alteration in a person’s circadian rhythm, or sleep cycle, which is based on light and dark.
As your body experiences daylight and darkness contrary to its accustomed rhythms, your body clock goes haywire. Your usual rhythms that tell you when you should be eating and sleeping no longer function correctly, and hormone levels and body temperature rhythms no longer correspond to their usual cycles of sleeping and waking. Jet lag occurs because the body needs time to realign these rhythms.
While some people think of jet lag as a mere nuisance, it can lead to other, more serious problems such as anxiety and insomnia, so it’s important to take it seriously. Symptoms can include dehydration, loss of appetite, nausea, upset stomach, headaches, sinus irritation, disorientation, grogginess, sleep deprivation, mild depression, and irritability.
The speed at which the body readjusts itself is based on the individual. So while it may take several days for some people to readjust to a new time zone, others seem to experience little disruption to their body's natural patterns and adapt within a day. The general rule for most of us is one day of adaptation per time zone.
So what should you do to recover quickly from jet lag? Good sleep habits, relaxation, moderate exercise, and a balanced diet can all help. However, since individuals experience jet lag differently, no one remedy can be prescribed. Women, for example, tend to be more susceptible to jet lag due to the higher levels of estrogen in their bodies. Here are some pre-fight, in-flight, and post-flight suggestions to help combat jet lag:
Be relaxed: Being relaxed is perhaps the greatest key to pre-flight preparation, so make sure that you get a good night’s rest the night before. Avoid drinking or partying the day before your flight so that you’re not hung over or dehydrated. Although everyday life tends to get hectic, it will help if you can exercise on a regular basis on the days leading up to your flight. Finally, if you feel yourself getting sick, try to get as much sleep as possible. If this doesn’t work and you have a cold or other illness the day before your flight, try to postpone the flight.
Keep hydrated: While on the flight, drink water rather than alcohol. Avoid coffee, tea, and other drinks that are laden with caffeine, since they have a dehydrating effect. It’s also important to get some sleep during your flight. Take your shoes off in order to take pressure off your feet. Use a neck rest and a blindfold in order to keep light off your eyes. When you’re not resting, get some exercise and stretch your limbs: walk up and down the aisles, and stretch in your seat. If there’s a layover, get out and walk around the airport a bit. On long haul flights, showers are sometimes available: take advantage of this and refresh yourself.
Take advantage of remedies: A few over-the-counter remedies are available to fight jet lag. No Jet-Lag is a homeopathic preparation, so it has no side effects and is compatible with other medications. However, like most homeopathic remedies, there is no scientific proof that it works. Many people use melatonin (5-methoxy-N-acetyltryptamine), a natural hormone found in all living creatures. There have been no conclusive scientific studies proving that melatonin cures jet lag, but many people feel that taking melatonin during a flight before going to sleep and the first night back home seems to do the trick.
Since you can’t avoid jet lag when traveling, basic maintenance of your overall health and the tips listed above are the best way to fight its effects. But if you’re still feeling bad after a few days, consult your doctor.
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