A Guide for Beating Jet Lag

If you ever have been on a long-haul flight then you know all too well that experiencing jet lag is part and parcel of the experience.

There are a few names for jet leg that are less commonly used, including time zone change syndrome and desynchronosis, but whether you call it one or the other, the result is the same; a physiological condition that comes from disruptions in your body clock or your ‘circadian rhythm’. You can do all sorts to stay comfy and entertained on your flight, but it’s not really possible to avoid jet lag, so the best thing you can do is look at ways to prepare for and lessen the effects. The Basics of Jet Lag Jet lag may cause feelings of drowsiness, tiredness, irritability, lethargy, and slight disorientation, and as we previously mentioned about circadian rhythms, this is a 24-hour cycle in your physiological, biochemical and behavioural processes in your body. All three become affected by the onset of jet lag. These processes regulate your daily activities, such as: ·      Eating ·      Body temperature regulation ·      Sleeping ·      Waking What Can You Do to Prevent Jet Lag? Now that you have the general understanding of the workings of jet lag, we can move on to the next step which is to look at some insightful, informative hints on how your mind and body can come to terms with the changes it goes through. Here goes … Get a Good Sleep Before You Set Off for Your Flight To sleep well, you must be content and comfortable; that’s just a given. If you have a well-suited mattress to your needs, a duvet that matches this, and, of course, soothing pillows to complete this trifecta too, then you won’t be going too far wrong! We’re well aware that it is not uncommon for people to get a rubbish night’s sleep on the night before a long flight because there’s usually excited or nervous energy present. The main thing to remember is to stick to a solid routine and not change anything as best’s you can in the run-up to boarding your flight in terms of sleep, or it’ll be much trickier for your mind and body to adapt to fresh time zones. Aim to enjoy the 7-9 hours of sleep you need as an adult and this will help you to deal physically and emotionally with jet lag. Try to Touch Down During the Day If it is at all possible, you should look to take flights that will see allow for you to arrive during daylight hours. The simple reason for this is because you will find it easier to stay awake if it’s daytime. Depending on what you’re flying for, you’re probably going to be looking to venture out for drinks or dinner, and if you’re travelling then you might well want to explore and discover your new surroundings. Therefore, when you book your flights, plan them to avoid arriving at in the night-time so that you can lower the effects of jet lag and enjoy your trip more so! Take the Chance to Move Around You can be tempted to try and sleep for the entire flight, and this sounds like a cool idea, but why not move around and rest up? Ideally, you should be moving about on long distance flights and throwing some exercises that will help to get your blood flowing and this has the ability to diminish feelings of jet lag. Speaking of staying active, the wearing of a pair of flight socks to reduce the risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), while also improving the circulation of your blood flow. Did you know that the slowing down of your circulation is recognised as one of the most common consequences of jet lag? Leave the Bars for Another Time Not always what people want to hear, but by not spending time-consuming alcohol in the airport lounge; something many of us will know a lot about when we’re celebrating the start of our travels, you will be doing yourself plenty of favours. Boozing before a flight is not recommended because the effects that alcohol have on you during times when you’re at altitude and this can lead on to being excessively tired and make you feel dehydrated. Simply avoid this by staying hydrated with water and it will make it easier to overcome jet lag and the level that you have to endure it. Don’t Reach for Sleeping Pills Sorry folks, but whether you think they’ll help or not, sleeping pills do not aid the staving off of jet lag. Sleeping pills, will, in fact, make you much more likely to feel a little out of sorts upon landing, and this will only serve to make jet lag harder to live with post-flight.