Travelore Tips: How To Avoid The Worst Of Jet Lag And Maximize Your Travel Time

It’s the bane of many travelers: jet lag. Nobody wants to lose out because they’re too tired to enjoy the delights of their vacation spot.

Here are some tips on how to handle jet lag, wherever you might end up.

What is jet lag?

Scientists define jet lag as the effect on the human body of traveling across different time zones. Our bodies have biological clocks programmed into almost every cell in the body, according to Sofia Axelrod, who studies circadian rhythms at Rockefeller University in New York.

“The clock is set by the 24-hour light and dark pattern,” Axelrod said. “Every morning when we wake up, specialized (light) receptor cells in our retina receive a daylight signal, which is transmitted to the brain and from there, the whole body.”

When we travel to another time zone, our eyes receive the daylight signal at a different time than usual, causing our internal clocks to reset. But that process can take awhile — and it’s during that adjustment period that we feel the effects of jet lag.

Is jet lag preventable?

Yes, but that can come at a cost. Malcolm von Schantz, a professor who specializes in circadian rhythms at Northumbria University in Newcastle, said that flying in premium cabins where travelers can stretch out and properly rest, can ward off sleep deprivation, but he acknowledges that isn’t an option for most people. Still, he said that timing your flights can help. For example, he suggests flying from Europe to North America during the day, so that it’s evening when passengers land and they can get a proper night’s sleep.

“If you take the evening flight instead, you’ll be woken up at midnight to be served breakfast and land an hour or two later, when both jet lag and sleep deprivation will hit you hard and simultaneously,” he said.

Von Schantz also said flying in newer models with a lighter frame, like the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner, would help. That’s because those planes can maintain a more comfortable cabin atmosphere, which should help travelers feel less worn out by the end of their flights.

What should you do when you arrive?

Experts say getting exposure to sunlight is critical to resetting your internal body clock. That can mean either avoiding morning sun or deliberately seeking it out, depending on where you’ve travelled from. Getting light in the morning will advance your body clock, while light exposure in the early evening will delay it. Naps are OK, but scientists warn against taking long siestas later in the day, as that might compromise your ability to sleep through the night.

Are there supplements or medicines that might help?

Melatonin, a hormone that the brain naturally produces when the body thinks it’s night, can be helpful. But it’s not available everywhere and in some countries like the U.K. and France, a prescription is required. Von Schantz of Northumbria University said that one of the advantages of melatonin is that you can start taking it before your journey, to reset your internal clock quicker.

“If you’re in a part of the world where melatonin is available over the counter, you can combine the effects of light and melatonin to achieve the advance or delay (in your body clock) that you need,” he said.

What can you do to deal with the effects of jet lag?

Business travelers might want to consider arriving a day or two ahead of any important meetings or events, said Russell Foster of Oxford University, who has authored a book on circadian rhythms.

“You should just be aware that if you’re jet-lagged, you’re more likely to make unwise decisions, be less empathetic and unable to multitask,” he said.

Tourists might not need to be as alert as business travelers, but they should still be careful, he said. He advises tourists to get caught up on their sleep before doing anything potentially risky or that requires concentration, like driving.

Foster said he tries to maximize his light exposure when he arrives at a new destination to offset jet lag. But he also has a fallback strategy: coffee.

“I’m not suggesting it’s an ideal thing to do, but caffeine will help override the sleepiness and cognitive impairment you might be feeling as a result of jet lag,” he said.

By MARIA CHENG

Travelore Tips: 4 Classic Strategies & 3 Alternative Methods To Combat Jet Lag

Contributed  by Teresa Bitler

Christine Wei

Jet lag can put a serious crimp in your longhaul travels, making you feel exhausted, scatter-brained, or even physically ill. The good news is that there are a few things you can do to alleviate the symptoms and in some cases avoid jet lag altogether. Here are a few classic strategies — and a few alternative methods, just to be safe.

The Classics

Acclimate before you go.Jet lag occurs when your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythms, doesn’t match your destination’s external cues for sleeping and eating. In other words, you might fly halfway across the world and find yourself ready to snooze after lunch or starving for breakfast after midnight. Minimize the effects of jet lag by easing into the new time zone’s routine before you go. Depending on the time difference, try sleeping in later — or eating earlier in the day. Even a few hours can make a big difference.

If you have a long way to go and some flexibility in your schedule, you can even consider breaking up your trip into segments. Spend a few days in a city midway to your destination, adjust to that routine, and then continue your travels.

Stay hydrated.Dehydration can make the symptoms of jet lag worse. Even if you don’t feel thirsty, plan to drink at least 8 ounces of water for every hour you’re in the air. You’ll want to limit alcohol and caffeine, too — both dehydrate, and the later also disrupts your sleep patterns whenever you do fall asleep.

Get some rest — then stay active.
Skip the all-night bon voyage party and opt for a solid eight hours of sleep instead. The more well-rested you are when you land, the better prepared you’ll be to deal with jet lag. If you’re traveling overnight or flying west to east (losing time), get some additional rest on the plane. Traveling during the day or going the opposite direction (gaining time)? Get a head start on adjusting to being active during your destination’s daytime hours by taking a stroll down the aisle, when it’s safe to do so.

Let there be light.Light is a powerful cue for the body. Depending on which direction you travel, you can reset your clock by exposing yourself to bright light or avoiding it at key times. As you’re preparing to fly east for a trip, for example, you’ll want to start getting bright morning light and then start sticking to dim rooms or using sunglasses in the afternoon (when it becomes evening at your destination). Before you go home, you’ll want get more afternoon and evening light exposure (since it’ll still be daytime in the west).

The Alternatives

Go on a diet.Some people swear by the four-day Argonne Anti-Jet-Lag Diet, which requires you to alternately feast (eat a high protein breakfast and lunch followed by a high carb dinner) and fast (eat only light meals of soup and salad). You’d start with the feast, with a high protein breakfast at your destination’s breakfast time, on the day of your flight. Note: There’s no empirical evidence to date that any anti-jet lag diet has proven entirely effective.

Take melatonin.Some studies suggest that melatonin — a hormone naturally produced in the body during nighttime — can help reset your internal clock. Melatonin supplements are sometimes used to treat jet lag, but you may want to consult a doctor for more information and exact dosage beforehand, since there can be side effects like headaches. If you don’t like taking pills, some foods — like certain grains, fruits, and meat — do help boost melatonin.

Use acupressure.The foundation of acupressure lies in that each organ has a corresponding point on the body, and that organ functions optimally at a specific time of the day. To get the body into a different time zone, some use these acupressure principles to stimulate these “horary points” when the cycles should be occurring at the destination. For example, 1 a.m. corresponds to the liver. When it is 1 a.m. at your destination, you would tap a specific, corresponding spot near the big toe 20 times. At 3 a.m., you would similarly tap a spot on the wrist to stimulate the lungs. This process would continue, every two hours, with different horary points until arrival.

- See more at: http://blog.shermanstravel.com/2015/combatting-jet-lag-4-classic-strategies-3-alternative-methods/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=National%3A%20Bulletin%20%2F%20Trip%20Ideas%20%2F%20ROS&utm_campaign=5.24.15%20Escapes%3A%20Editorial%20Update#sthash.LvsbxoTH.dpuf

Travelore Tips: The Flight Attendants Guide To Dealing With Jet Lag

It’s perhaps the biggest complaint about travelling from one time zone to the next is the dreaded jet lag. It can literally make or break a trip – because often, it could mean hours of sleep while you should be enjoying the city you’re in!

By KarryOn 

What are the pro’s tips to getting through it? While they may not work on everyone, it’s worth a shot to read through these 7:

1. Be in the best shape you can be before your trip. If you have advanced notice, start eating healthy, take your vitamins and get plenty of sleep while you can.
2. Once on your flight, set your watch to the time zone you will be arriving in.
3. Plan to “be” on the time zone you will be arriving in. Once on your flight try to sleep if it is night time at your arrival destination. Set an alarm to wake when it is morning at your arrival city.
4. Once you arrive, if you must take a nap, limit yourself to 1-3 hours. This is difficult and you’ll want to sleep longer (in fact you may want to shoot yourself, rather than get up) but if you do you will have trouble going to sleep on time in your new time zone.
5. Try melatonin. It worked for me, but I had crazy dreams so I don’t like it. I know many people that love it.
6. Have a night cap! No, not the alcoholic version. As tempting as that may be, your sleep will be interrupted enough without adding alcohol. Stick with a night time tea, like chamomile.
7. Go to bed at the time of night you usually go to bed, in your new time zone. You may still feel groggy the next day and/or wake through the night, but this is the quickest way to be on the local time zone so you can make the most of your trip.