Jet Lag When Flying and How to Prevent it?
Jet lag can ruin the first few days of a holiday or be a serious obstacle for the business flyer. But with a little knowledge and preparation jet lag can be minimized or even prevented.
What is Jet Lag?
Jet lag or desynchronosis is the temporary disruption of the body clock when a traveler flies across several time zones. This internal body clock is actually a portion of the brain which controls the timing of a number of biological functions, including sleeping, eating, and several others.
Jet lag occurs because when great distances are traveled east or west. The body cannot automatically realign these rhythms quickly. The speed at which a person readjusts varies, but studies carried out by NASA show that it takes one day for every hour of time difference. This means that if a traveler goes from New York to London, with a five hour time difference, theoretically adjustment could take five days!
Symptoms of Jet Lag
The symptoms of jet lag can be quite varied. But usually an individual experiences fatigue, exhaustion, inability to sleep at the ‘correct’ time, disorientation, loss of desire to eat; and sometimes headaches, stomach aches and a general feeling of fuzziness.
Some cases of air rage are thought to result from jet lag, as an overall feeling of disorientation can lead to frustration and anger.
How to Prevent Jet Lag
Jet lag is entirely dependent upon the number of time zones crossed, and not the actual length of the flight. People tend to find that traveling east has a greater effect upon the body than going west, although the reason for this is not entirely clear.
Those who live quite a rigid lifestyle sometimes tend to suffer more, as they are accustomed to going to sleep, waking, and eating at roughly the same time every day. Travellers with less of a definite daily routine are affected far less by jet lag, and babies tend not to suffer from it at all.
A number of factors can contribute to jet lag:
- Alcohol: The effect of alcohol on the body is multiplied at altitude, so drinking even relatively small amounts of alcohol can compound tiredness and intensify hangovers upon arrival. It is therefore better not to drink before or during a flight.
- Dehydration:Airplane cabins tend to rely on recycled air via air conditioning units. This inevitably dries both the skin and can lead to dry nasal and throat membranes. So it is a good idea to drink plenty of water before and during a flight.
- Pre-flight condition:If a traveler starts the flight stressed and tired, then it is unlikely that he or she will emerge feeling good. So if possible one needs to get a good night’s sleep in advance, and take some light exercise. It is also sensible to move around the airliner cabin whenever possible.
There are also homeopathic remedies which can help with Jet lag. Arnica is often used, and some homeopathic suppliers provide mixed remedies for this specific condition.
Using Time Zones to Prevent Jet Lag
By understanding how time zones are split up around the world, it is possible to create a strategy to prevent jet lag. It is best to arrive in daylight hours, as sunlight naturally alerts the body, consequently there is a greater likelihood that one will readjust to local time faster and not sleep through the day.
Thus if the traveller leaves London at midday and travels for six hours west towards New York, upon arrival the local time will be 13:00 hours, though his body will still be set on London time, which is actually 18:00 hours.
To counter jet lag, he now needs to try to stay awake until the early evening, when he can enjoy a good nights sleep. By planning to arrive during daylight hours, this should be easier than arriving during darkness. By planning flight departure and arrival times in this way one can significantly minimise jetlag.
A combination of all of the above should cut down on the symptoms of jet lag to a large extent. After that, the traveler should try to arrange to take things easy for the first couple of days – listening to one’s body is always to be recommended!
