John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.
Recovering from jet lag depends on the number of time zones crossed while traveling. In general, the body will adjust to the new time zone at the rate of one or two time zones per day. For example, if you crossed six time zones, the body will typically adjust to this time change in three to five days.
What are the best ways to cope with jet lag?
There are several home remedies that can help with prevention of jet lag and easier recovery from the symptoms. The following are 12 tips to help travelers to avoid or to 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.
If you are traveling east, try going to sleep earlier and getting up and out into the early morning sun. If traveling west, try to get at least an hour's worth of sunlight as soon as possible after reaching your destination.
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. Take 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 (known as pulmonary embolism), 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.
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 cafés. 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.
When traveling with children, try to get them on the local schedule as well. When traveling east and you will lose time, try to keep the child awake until the local bedtime. If traveling west when you will gain time, wake your child up at
the local time.
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
OK 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.
There are also some homeopathic remedies that may be used. A product called No Jet Lag contains homeopathic remedies
leopard's bane (Arnica montana), daisy (Bellis perennis), wild chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla),
ipecac (Cephalelis ipecacuanha), and club moss (Lycopodium).
Valerian root is an herb that can be used as treatment for insomnia. Do not take valerian with alcohol. It is important to consult your physician before taking these or any other homeopathic or herbal remedy.
Sleep medications are not recommended for children.
Diarrhea is a change is the frequency and looseness of bowel movements. Cramping, abdominal pain, and the sensation of rectal urgency are all symptoms of diarrhea. Absorbents and anti-motility medications are used to treat diarrhea.
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension and fear characterized by physical symptoms. Anxiety disorders are serious medical illnesses that affect approximately 19 million American adults.
Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary headaches and secondary headaches. Migraine headaches, tension headaches, and cluster headaches are considered primary headaches. Secondary headaches are caused by disease. Headache symptoms vary with the headache type. Over-the-counter pain relievers provide short-term relief for most headaches.
Constipation is defined medically as fewer than three stools per week and severe constipation as less than one stool per week. Constipation usually is caused by the slow movement of stool through the colon. There are many causes of constipation including medications, poor bowel habits, low fiber diets, abuse of laxatives, hormonal disorders, and diseases primarily of other parts of the body that also affect the colon.
Dehydration is the excessive loss of body water. There are a number of causes of dehydration including heat exposure, prolonged vigorous exercise, and some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The best way to treat dehydration is to prevent it from occurring.
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a piece of a blood clot from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) breaks off and travels to an artery in the lung where it blocks the artery and damages the lung. The most common symptoms of a pulmonary embolism are shortness of breath, chest pain, and a rapid heart rate.
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a blood clot in a vein located deep in the muscles of the legs, thighs, pelvis (lower torso), or arms. The most common symptoms of a deep vein thrombosis are swelling and pain in the leg that has the blood clot. A DVT is difficult to diagnose without specific tests in which the deep vein system can be examined.
Nausea is an uneasiness of the stomach that often precedes vomiting. Nausea and vomiting are not diseases, but they are symptoms of many conditions. The causes of vomiting differ according to age, and treatment depends upon the cause of nausea and vomiting.
The Eustachian tube is a membrane lined tube that connects the middle ear space to the back of the nose. Problems include partial or complete blockage which can cause popping, clicking, and ear fullness. Allergies, sinus and ear infections, or the common cold can cause this blockage, while altitude changes can cause symptoms in those persons with Eustachian tube problems. Treatment includes several maneuvers (swallowing, chewing gum, yawning etc.), which can be done to improve Eustachian tube function.
A number of vital tasks carried out during sleep help maintain good health and enable people to function at their best. Sleep needs vary from individual to individual and change throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep can hurt memory performance, health, and your mood.
Insomnia is the perception or complaint of inadequate or poor-quality sleep because of difficulty falling asleep; waking up frequently during the night with difficulty returning to sleep; waking up too early in the morning; or unrefreshing sleep. Secondary insomnia is the most common type of insomnia. Treatment for insomnia include lifestyle changes, cognitive behavioral therapy, and medication.
Fatigue can be described in various ways. Sometimes fatigue is described as feeling a lack of energy and motivation (both mental and physical). The causes of fatigue are generally related to a variety of conditions or diseases for example, anemia, mono, medications, sleep problems, cancer, anxiety, heart disease, drug abuse, and more. Treatment of fatigue is generally directed toward the condition or disease that is causing the fatigue.
Travelers should prepare for their trip by visiting their physician to get the proper vaccinations and obtain the necessary medication if they have a medical condition or chronic disease. Diseases that travelers may pick up from contaminated water or food, insect or animal bites, or from other people include malaria, meningococcal meningitis, yellow fever, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, polio, and cholera.
Biologic rhythms, or biorhythms, are how our bodies respond to the regular phases of the sun, moon, and seasons. A medical chronobiologist studies how the "body clock" or biorhythms affect diseases and how the body clock responds to treatment of diseases and conditions at different times of the day.
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