What Is Jet Lag?
Jet lag, also called “time zone change syndrome” is a combination of fatigue and other symptoms caused by traveling abruptly across different time zones. Some of the most common symptoms include:
• Fatigue
• Sleepiness
• Sleep problems (difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or waking up)
• Digestive issues
• Impaired judgment and decision making
• Memory lapses
• Irritability
• Apathy
In order to understand what causes this phenomenon, we need to understand how our bodies’ internal clock works.
We are all controlled by a natural internal clock called a Circadian rhythm that produces physical, mental and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. The word Circadian means approximately “one day”. These natural processes (which include temperature, hormones, digestion, heart rate, blood pressure and mental states) respond primarily to light and dark, which is signaled to the body by the release of a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is produced in a pine cone shaped receptacle in the brain called the pineal gland and is released when the body is subjected to periods of darkness, which it will interpret as nighttime. Being exposed to light at night can block melatonin production disrupting your sleep patterns.
Fun Fact: Melatonin is sometimes called the “hormone of darkness” as it is released in response to darkness.
Traveling to a different time zone disrupts the Circadian rhythm resulting in a sort of confusion, if you will, where our bodies are literally trying to align with the time zone we find ourselves in. The more time zones you cross, the more likely you are to be sleepy and sluggish — and the more likely these symptoms are to persist and be more intense. Other factors that can aggravate the problem are: lack of sleep before and during traveling, decreased blood oxygen from flying, immobility associated with flying, dehydration, a change in environment and foods, excitement or stress.
On average, it takes your body approximately a day to adjust for each time zone crossed. Unfortunately, there is no actual cure for jet lag and is generally worse when you “lose time” traveling west to east. The good news is its effects can be reduced with planning.
10 tips for dealing with jet lag
1. Begin shifting to your new schedule before you leave home
If you’re traveling east, start moving your bedtime back by a half hour each evening several nights before you leave. If you’re traveling west, do the opposite and push your bedtime up by a half hour each evening. You can also begin shifting your mealtimes to match the schedule you will be keeping at your destination.
2. Set your watch to your new time zone while in flight
Set your watch to the new time zone as you are departing and try to sleep when it is nighttime at your destination. This is mostly a psychological trick but can help your body ease into the new schedule.
3. Arrive early
If you are traveling to a destination and need to hit the ground running, are joining an organized activity, or will be dealing with different elevations, it is best to arrive a few days earlier to allow your mind and body to adjust accordingly. There is nothing worse than adding stress to jetlag.
4. Stay hydrated
Drink water before, during, and after your flight to counteract dehydration. Avoid alcohol or caffeine as they can disrupt your sleep patterns and exacerbate dehydration.
5. Move around
Keep the blood circulating by walking around periodically and doing some static exercises and stretches.
6. Try Light Therapy
Exposure to sunlight helps regulate our Circadian rhythms. Exposing yourself to light during the daylight hours at your destination and avoiding it at what will be your new nighttime can help shift your body’s internal clock so you’ll feel more rested when you arrive and your body can adjust to the new time zone more quickly. Translation: pull those window shades if it’s nighttime at your destination and turn on that overhead lamp if it’s not.
7. Eat sensibly
No diets have been proven effective for preventing jet lag, however, consuming hard to digest foods or foods devoid of any real nutrition will not be helpful to your body as it struggles to adjust to the change in time zones, environment, etc.
8. Minimize sleep distractions
An eye mask or earplugs may help you drift off easier on the plane and at your destination. Try to eliminate distractions in the cabin or in your room at bedtime, such as lit entertainment monitors (tablets and phone screens included) or raised window shade.
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