Jet Lag Symptoms Are A Part Of Life For Frequent Fliers

Overcoming jet lag is not too difficult for those of us who jet off around the world infrequently, perhaps once or twice a year on holiday or for the occasional business trip, but for aircrews and regular long-haul fliers, jet lag can bring in its wake a number of health problems which can become virtually permanent.

Long haul travelers will be familiar with the disruption to their sleep pattern and the insomnia that can result from a long trip, as well as such things as irritability, changes in mood, gastro-intestinal problems and difficulty in processing information. But, for the very frequent flyer these, normally transient symptoms, become a part of everyday life and are often joined by menstrual cycle problems for women and even by short-term psychiatric disturbances for some people.

The major factors in influencing the degree of jet lag experienced, apart from the frequency of travel, are the distances involved, the direction of travel and your age.

If you are regularly traveling across just two or three time zones then any affects are likely to very mild. However, once you start crossing more than three time zones, and particularly when you get up to frequently traveling across six or more time zones, symptoms begin to increase markedly.

Jet lag symptoms are also more marked when you are traveling east and tend to affect you less when flying west. If you are traveling from London to Singapore on holiday for example you will experience more jet lag on arrival in Singapore at the start of your holiday than you will in London when you return.

As a general rule when traveling east you can expect jet lag to last for several days and a good guide is roughly two thirds of the number of time zones crossed. For example, if you cross six time zones you can expect jet lag to affect you for up to four days. Traveling west jetlag can be expected to last for about half this time.

Age is also a significant factor when it comes to jet lag and, as you get older, you will find that you are increasingly affected by jet lag.

There is no such thing as a true jet lag cure but there is a great deal that can be done to help to reduce the symptoms of jet lag.

How to Overcome Jetlag

Jetlag seems to be every traveler’s worst nightmare – especially if you’re going away for just a short while.

What causes Jetlag?

Jetlag is a condition that arises from crossing multiple time zones in a relatively short time and consequently disturbs your natural body clock or circadian rhythms. Other contributing factors include lack of exercise, dry atmosphere and alcohol.

What are the symptoms of Jetlag?

Arriving at your destination feeling tried, groggy and disorientated are the most common symptoms. Many people also find it difficult to concentrate and have very erratic sleep patterns. Waking up in the middle of the night or feeling a need to take nap during the day can be frequent.

Because of the dry atmosphere aboard aircraft, Dehydration can also be a major problem.

How long do the symptoms last for?

Jetlag symptoms can last for just a few hours – all the way up to a week (for more acute cases). Generally though, travelers find on a normal flight between the US and Europe, the effects of Jetlag last for a couple of days. As a guide, for every time zone you cross, allow for a full day of recovery. Symptoms also vary by age. Children are far less susceptible.

How can Jetlag symptoms be reduced?

Before you depart, make sure that you get plenty of sleep. Eat well and avoid alcohol. Allow for plenty of time before departure. Stress is one of the worst culprits. Also, try taking some zinc supplements as it’s been proven that people with higher zinc levels tend to suffer less.

While traveling, drink plenty of water. Stay away from alcohol, fizzy drinks and coffee. These drinks only exacerbate jetlag causing dehydration, tiredness and headaches. Drink plenty of water. Chamomile tea is very calming. Eat Lightly. The last thing your body needs it to digest a large meal. Exercise - “Economy Class Syndrome” is caused from inactivity or sitting in the same position for an extended time. When the time permits, get up and walk around the aircraft.

Specific exercises and stretching techniques can be accessed through:

http://www.airnz.co.nz/resources/inflight_exercises.pdf

Try and get some sleep. Sleeping onboard will not only help to pass the time, but can help you feel refreshed upon arrival. A travel neck pillow will assist in your sleeping, providing excellent head support. Avoid sleeping pills at all costs.

When you arrive, getting a quick nap will seem very attractive indeed – but resist this temptation. Go to bed at your normal bedtime (based on local time). This will force your body to adjust to any new time zones far quicker.

How to Get Jet Lag-Free Travel

People who travel a lot experience jet lag. Athletes, who travel to different countries for their tournaments, attribute their poor performance on jet lag. Business people, who go to various places for business meetings and other matters, hold jet lag as responsible for their bad days. This goes to show that jet lag affects not only the physical condition of the body but the entire individual.

Jet lag, basically, refers to the condition of the body being disoriented. More often than not, jet lag is a result of crossing time zones which affects the internal body clock of an individual. Some of the common symptoms of jet lag are inability to sleep at night, loss of drive, malaise, tiredness, inability to concentrate, and headaches.

Generally, the severity of jet lag is dependent on the direction of the travel. Most experts say that the occurrences of jet lag is lesser when people travel westward than eastward. This is because the body rhythm is extended up to 27 hours when a person flies westward. In turn, the body is able to catch up with whatever changes in the environment

Moreover, the so-called “circadian rhythm” is greater than 24 hours when a person travels westward. This is because the time of the day is lengthened, thus, giving more time for the body to adjust.

In reality, there are no quick fixes to “cure” the signs of jetlag. However, there are ways to deal with it so as to start healthier in the new environment.

Here’s how:

1. Staying outside during the day is recommended to cope up with jet lag. This is because the person’s body clock will be able to adjust at a faster rate if it will become accustomed to the new surroundings. Usually, natural light aids in coping up with jet lag.

2. It would be better for a person to adjust their bedtime schedules so as to prevent the severity of jet lag. In this way, their body clock will be able to cope up with the changes in the time setting.

3. It is best if people will start eating, sleeping, and doing their usual activities patterned to the local time setting of the new place and not from the usual time they do it back home.

4. For people who travel because of some important event like the athletes or the entrepreneurs, it is best if they travel way ahead of time to their event schedules. This is to give them more time to adjust and get accustomed of the area.

So, jet lag is not so much of a problem. It is just a matter of adjustment and coping up. After which, you can enjoy the new scenery.