Jet Lag (cont.)
What are the best ways to cope with jet lag?
The following are 12 tips to help travelers minimize the effects of jet lag.
Tip 1: Stay in shape
If you are in good physical condition, stay that way. In other words, long before you embark, continue to exercise, eat right, and get plenty of rest. Your physical stamina and conditioning will enable you to cope better after you land. If you are not physically fit, or have a poor diet, begin shaping up and eating right several weeks before your trip.
Tip 2: Get medical advice
If you have a medical condition that requires monitoring (such as
diabetes
or heart disease), consult your physician well in advance of your
departure to
plan a coping strategy that includes medication schedules and doctor's
appointments, if necessary, in the destination time zone.
Tip 3: Change your schedule
If your stay in the destination time zone will last more than
a few
days, begin adjusting your body to the new time zone before you
leave. For
example, if you are traveling from the U.S. to Europe for a one-month
vacation, set your daily routine back an hour or more three to four
weeks
before departure. Then, set it back another hour the following week
and the week
after that. Easing into the new schedule gradually in familiar
surroundings
will save your body the shock of adjusting all at once.
Tip 4: Avoid alcohol
Do not drink alcoholic beverages the day before your flight,
during your
flight, or the day after your flight. These beverages can cause
dehydration, disrupt sleeping schedules, and trigger nausea and
general
discomfort.
Tip 5: Avoid caffeine
Likewise, do not drink caffeinated beverages before, during, or
just after
the flight. Caffeine can also cause dehydration and disrupt sleeping
schedules.
What's more, caffeine can jangle your nerves and intensify any travel
anxiety
you may already be feeling.
Tip 6: Drink water
Drink plenty of water, especially during the flight, to counteract
the
effects of the dry atmosphere inside the plane. Consider taking your
own
water aboard the airplane if allowed.
Tip 7: Move around on the plane
While seated during your flight, exercise your legs from time to
time.
Move them up and down and back and forth. Bend your knees. Stand up
and sit down. Every hour or two, get up and walk around. Do not take
sleeping pills, and do not nap for more than an hour at a time.
These measures have a twofold purpose. First, they reduce your risk of developing a blood clot in the legs. Research shows that long periods of sitting can slow blood movement in and to the legs, thereby increasing the risk of a clot. The seat is partly to blame. It presses against the veins in the leg, restricting blood flow. Inactivity also plays a role. It decelerates the movement of blood through veins. If a clot forms, it sometimes breaks loose and travels to the lungs, lodges in an artery, and inhibits blood flow. The victim may experience pain and breathing problems and cough up blood. If the clot is large, the victim could die. Second, remaining active, even in a small way, revitalizes and refreshes your body, wards off stiffness, and promotes mental and physical acuity which can ease the symptoms of jet lag.
Tip 8: Break up your trip
On long flights traveling across eight, 10, or even 12 time zones,
break up
your trip, if feasible, with a stay in a city about halfway to your
destination. For example, if you are traveling from New York to
Bombay,
India, schedule a stopover of a few days in Dublin or Paris. (At noon
in
New York, it is 5 p.m. in Dublin, 6 p.m. in Paris, and 10:30 p.m. in
Bombay.)
Tip 9: Wear comfortable shoes and clothes
On a long trip, how you feel is more important than how you look.
So, wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Avoid items that pinch,
restrict, or chafe. When selecting your trip outfit, keep in mind
the
climate in your destination time zone. Dress for your destination.
Tip 10: Check your accommodations
Upon arrival, if you are staying at a hotel, check to see that beds and
bathroom facilities are satisfactory and that cooling and heating systems are in
good working order. If the room is unsuitable, ask for another.
Tip 11: Adapt to the local schedule
The sooner you adapt to the local schedule, the quicker your body
will
adjust. Therefore, if you arrive at noon local time (but 6 a.m. your
time),
eat lunch, not breakfast. During the day, expose your body to
sunlight by
taking walks or sitting in outdoor cafes. The sunlight will cue your
hypothalamus to reduce the production of sleep-inducing melatonin
during
the day, thereby initiating the process of resetting your internal
clock.
Tip 12: Use sleeping medications wisely—or not at all
Try to establish sleeping patterns without resorting to pills.
However, if
you have difficulty sleeping on the first two or three nights, it's
okay to
take a mild sedative if your physician has prescribed one. But wean
yourself off the sedative as soon as possible. Otherwise, it could
become
habit-forming.
Next: Should I take melatonin? »
- Eustachian Tube Problems (Problems Clearing Your Ears) - Learn Eustachian tube problems like clearing the ears when flying, or suffering infection and incurring an ear infection.
- Sleep - Read about how to get a healthy nights sleep, how much sleep is enough, and why skimping on sleep can lead to poor performance, health, and moods.
- Insomnia - Learn about the types of insomnia, what causes it, and treatments such as medication, relaxation exercises, sleep hygeien, non-medical treatments.
Latest Medical News
Specialty RSS
