Overcoming Jet Lag
Overcoming Jet Lag
Jet lag can be one of the worst, and certainly one of the most frustrating, aspects of long distance travel. Also called desynchronosis (meaning "out of time"), jet lag occurs when travellers pass through multiple time zones, arriving several hours ahead or behind their "home" time.Travelling across several time zones upsets your body's internal clock, which relies on a variety of environmental cues such as daylight and temperature. The degree of jet lag suffered can be measured in terms of the time change you undergo - the greater the difference in time between your home and your new location, the more disoriented your body clock becomes and the more jet lag you are likely to experience.One major feature of jet lag is seen in your body's struggle between emotional energy and physical lethargy. While your mind is able to process the change in time and location relatively quickly and can rationally appreciate environmental cues such as daylight (or the lack of it) and time of day, your body will be much slower to respond. Although the time to recover will vary from person to person, most people agree that overcoming jet lag, adjusting to a new time zone and resuming a regular sleep cycle can take two or three days or, in severe cases, an entire a week.Although not necessarily serious, insomnia caused by jet lag can interfere with mental clarity and efficiency and may have some bearing on your emotional state. Jet lag can also make it difficult for business travellers and tourists alike to maximize the opportunities afforded by their stay. What's more, if insomnia caused by jet lag does not pass, or recurs frequently for more than a couple of weeks, it could be indicative of a more persistent sleep problem.Natural sleep remedies and approaches can be used to effectively manage jet lag and, by taking a proactive approach, you can significantly decrease or limit the severity and number of symptoms ? not to mention shortening the duration of your jet lag.Establishing a regular and consistent sleep schedule before you even start to make travel plans is one important step towards limiting the effects of jet lag. Simple dietary changes like the reduction or elimination of caffeine and alcohol have also proven effective, and travellers who are accustomed to coping with jet lag often bring along natural sleep remedies like herbal teas and infusions to help induce the body's natural sleep cycles upon arrival at their destination.You may have heard that sleeping pills and other sleep aids are also effective tools for managing jet lag.Because sleeping pills suppress the body's immune system in order to generate artificial sleep, as opposed to naturally induced restorative sleep, sleeping pills are not always an effective remedy for jet lag. In fact, sleeping pills can potentially exacerbate the symptoms by delaying the adjustment of your internal body clock.Copyright
Jet Lag ? 5 In-flight Tips
Jet Lag ? 5 In-flight Tips
The secret to combating jet lag, and arriving at your destination with little or no jet lag, lies in sound preparation well in advance of your date of travel. This, however, is only the foundation of your "anti jet lag" plan and all of your sound preparatory work will be wasted if you don't also ensure that you follow a sensible routine during your flight.Here are just five of the many things that you can do during your flight to reduce, or eliminate, the effects of jet lag:1. Make sure that you get adequate rest.Many people find that they can't, or simply don't want to, sleep during their flight. This is fine, although trying to get some sleep can certainly be helpful. If you can't, or don't want to sleep, then you should at least ensure that you take the opportunity to rest and should also try to plan your rest so that you will be aligned as far as is possible with the time at your destination.If, for example, your twelve hour flight will get you to your destination early in the morning, try to get some sleep during the second half of the flight.2. Make use of simple, natural sleep remedies.If sleeping during the flight proves difficult, even with the use of such things as ear plugs and an eye mask to help simulate nighttime conditions, you may be tempted to resort to the use of sleeping pills. Don't succumb to this temptation!A discussion on the rights and wrongs of using sleeping pills is beyond the scope of this article (although I do cover the subject in depth in articles and elsewhere on http://help-me-to-sleep.com) but, suffice it to say, that the use of sleeping pills during your flight will add to the problem of jet lag, rather than assist in reducing its effects.There are however a number of natural sleep remedies available today which can provide a very effective solution. Of these chamomile and lavender, often taken in the form of a tea, are perhaps the best known. If these don't work in your particular case, then a slightly stronger and extremely good alternative would be either valerian root or melatonin.3. Relax to soft, soothing music.As an alternative to sleep, or indeed in addition to sleeping, try listening to soft, soothing music in preference to watching the in-flight movies. Even better; try some form of gentle meditation or relaxation exercises. This will not only help reduce the effects of jet lag, but will also help maintain a normal level of blood pressure and good circulation throughout a long flight.4. Ensure that you take some exercise.Although it can be tempting to stay in your seat throughout the flight, getting up from time to time and strolling around the cabin will refresh your body and promote both mental and physical activity. Some light exercise, particularly for your legs, will also help prevent the possibility of deep vein thrombosis ? clots forming in the legs.5 Keep yourself well hydrated.The artificial environment created within the aircraft cabin by both pressurization and forced ventilation can lead to dehydration and so it is extremely important that you maintain your fluid levels. Drink plenty of water or fruit juice, but avoid tea and coffee and other caffeinated drinks. You should also avoid carbonated drinks and alcohol.One part of the secret to arriving refreshed at your destination after a long flight is to ensure that you take the opportunity to rest and relax during the flight and that you avoid stimulants. Taking the simple steps outlined here will certainly go a long way towards preventing jet lag.Copyright 2005 Donald SaundersDonald Saunders is the author of a number of health related publications on the subject of coping with insomnia and overcoming jet lag. Drop by his website today and pick up your free copy of "How To Get A Good Night's Sleep".
Jet Lag – 7 Steps To A Successful Trip
Jet Lag - 7 Steps To A Successful Trip
Don't let jet lag spoil that much needed holiday trip to paradise or stop you from closing that career enhancing deal you've been working on for months.Arriving full of excitement and anticipation is great, but finding that you can't sleep at night, you're tired during the day and you've got an upset stomach and a headache can do a lot more than just take the edge off your trip.If you're seeking ways of preventing jet lag, or looking for the perfect jet lag remedy, then here are seven tips to start you on your search.Tip 1. Clear the decks before your departure.A much overlooked aspect of jet lag is the part played by stress. Running around trying to do a 1001 last minute jobs in the week before you fly. Worrying about whether the house will be safe. Sitting up until midnight the night before your flight paying the household bills. Sound familiar?Plan well in advance and make sure that you've taken care of everything at least three or four days before you go. Then take it easy, get lots of rest and set aside time specifically for relaxation.Tip 2. Start adjusting your bedtime before you go.In the two weeks before your trip start to gradually adjust your bedtime. If you're flying east, bring your bedtime forward by ten or fifteen minutes each night so that, by the time you leave, you're going to bed about two hours earlier than normal. This will 'narrow the gap' between the time at which your body wants to go to bed and the time that the clock says you should go to bed at your destination.Similarly, if you're traveling west, put your bedtime back by ten or fifteen minutes each day.Tip 3. Reduce you caffeine intake.Coffee, as well as other caffeinated drinks, both speeds up and slows down your internal body clock, depending upon the time of day that you consume it. When you're settled into a regular pattern of sleep this doesn't necessarily present too much of a problem, as the effects can tend to 'balance out'. However, when your body clock finds itself at odds with local time the effects of caffeine can be quite marked and add considerably to the problems of jet lag.Tip 4. Avoid Pills.With the exception of any prescribed medication that you normally take, you should avoid sleeping pills, so-called 'jet lag' pills and over the counter medication for jet lag. Not only do these have little or no beneficial effect, many of them can actually add to your problems.In particular, avoid the common temptation to take sleeping pills during your flight. They may well help you to get to sleep on the aircraft, but they will add to your problems when you arrive at your destination.Tip 5. Dress comfortably for your flight.Choose comfortable and loose fitting clothes to travel in and tuck a pair of slippers into your carry-on luggage to wear on board the aircraft. It's nice to be able to get dressed up and go out once you reach your destination but nobody is going to expect you to get dressed up to the nines while you're traveling.Tip 6. Get out in the sunshine.Once you reach your destination get out into daylight as much as possible during the first few days of your trip. Daylight sends powerful signals to your body clock and you'll find that it adjusts far more quickly if it is exposed to the normal cycle of daylight and darkness at your destination. So take advantage of this and don't hide yourself away indoors.Tip 7. Take something special with you.It can often be difficult settling in strange surroundings and, in particular, relaxing sufficiently to fall asleep. So, take one or two items of special significance with you, perhaps a family photograph or a favorite bedside ornament, to help give a little bit of the feel of home.Copyright 2005 Donald Saunders http://help-me-to-sleep.comAttention Ezine Editors / Website Owners
Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your website so long as you leave all links intact, do not modify the contentand include the resource box shown above. You may of course use your own affiliate link in the resource box.For details of our affiliate program, please visit our website at http://help-me-to-sleep.com/affiliatesIf you do use this article, please send me a note so that I can take a quick look. Many thanks.Donald Saunders is the author of a number of health related publications including "Jet Lag - A Natural Approach".
Jet lag ruins many trips, but the solution is simpler than you might think.
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