Well, finally! You're on vacation. A huge airliner, having covered thousands of kilometers in just a few hours, has delivered you to your desired destination, a place of eternal summer, a sea of fruits, and an ocean of entertainment. And you're off to explore everything new and exotic, but… Why this sudden absent-mindedness, irritability, fatigue, headache, and insomnia? After all, at the beginning of the trip, you felt simply wonderful! Some kind of local illness? No, you just have jet lag.
Jet lag is a misalignment of a person's circadian rhythms of wakefulness and sleep with their daily rhythms, caused by the rapid change in time zones during jet travel. This is where the name comes from: “jet” means “reactive,” and “lag” means “displacement.” This syndrome is also known as desynchrony . A similar condition can be caused by alternating night and day shifts and, to a lesser extent, by the transition to daylight saving time.
Why does jet lag occur?
A ten-hour flight from England to South Africa won't cause jet lag, while a five-hour flight from the East Coast of America to the West Coast will likely cause jet lag. Crossing multiple time zones disrupts the synchronization of the body's internal biological clock.
According to research by American scientists, there are two such clocks in our bodies. Physically, they represent two groups of nerve cells in the brain: one group receives information about the transition from day to night directly through the visual system and is associated with the deep sleep phase, while the other group is insensitive to changes in light conditions and is directly associated with the REM sleep phase. These two groups typically operate in sync, and sleep phases occur sequentially. A change in light conditions quickly “adjusts” the hands of the first clock in this pair, but the second clock continues to lag or gain on the first, which is what gives us all the “joys” of jet lag.
Why is jet lag dangerous?
Although jet lag isn't a disease, it does cause a certain discomfort, which can seriously ruin the start of a vacation. Impaired reaction times make driving risky. Furthermore, jet lag impairs memory and reduces decision-making, affecting the success of business deals and costing up to $70 billion in economic losses annually.
Jet lag tolerance varies from person to person, but young people are more sensitive to jet lag than older people, and women tend to tolerate rapid jet lag worse than men, due to the dependence of female estrogen hormones on sleep patterns.
How to alleviate the effects of jet lag?
Before departure. Try to get a good night's sleep. The last few days are often so busy and stressful that insomnia can sometimes occur. Take a mild sedative and ensure a good night's rest.
Plan your first days of arrival so that, if possible, psychological and physical stress is minimal.
If you take regular medications, talk to your doctor about your schedule for taking them in the new time zone.
During the flight. At the beginning of the flight, set your watch to the time in the destination country to help you adjust to the new time zone more quickly.
Provide yourself with the maximum possible comfort: an inflatable pillow under your head, earplugs, an eye mask, slippers or socks instead of regular shoes.
During the flight, try to maintain your circulation and prevent leg swelling: walk around the cabin, do light exercises—include lots of hand and foot rotations. It's believed that even a small amount of exercise can reduce jet lag.
Drink as much water as possible and as little alcohol as possible. Severe dehydration is a common side effect of prolonged exposure to high altitudes, affecting not only the condition of your skin but also your body's ability to fight jet lag. Alcohol, like smoking, further dehydrates the body.
It's best to avoid sleeping pills—sleep-inducing medications thicken the blood, which can be dangerous during a flight when you're barely moving. Furthermore, sleeping pills not only don't restore your biorhythms, but also further disorient your body.
When flying east, try to get some sleep during the trip; this will be facilitated by foods rich in carbohydrates (fruits, potatoes, pasta, rice, yogurt).
When flying west, it's best not to fall asleep, and protein-rich foods (cheese, fish, eggs, etc.) will help combat drowsiness.
Upon arrival. If you arrive during the day after a long flight, try to stay awake until evening and avoid staying up all night.
During the first few days, avoid heavy physical and mental stress, but moderate physical activity will increase the duration of your sleep, making it deeper and more restful.
Try to spend time outdoors, and go out into a sunlit space in the morning. Sunlight will help you more quickly adjust your internal clock to local time and restore disrupted biorhythms.
Try to avoid overstimulation while your body is in new time zones and refrain from drinks containing caffeine.
Do not overeat, give preference to light food at least in the first days.
Is there a cure for jet lag?
Currently, there are medications that only alleviate the effects of jet lag. These are primarily medications containing melatonin, a hormone that regulates biorhythms. However, before deciding to use medications like Melaxen or Melatonin, consult a doctor. Experienced travelers rave about alternative remedies like No-Jet-Lag and herbal infusions.
Jet lag is often mentioned as a side effect of Viagra, but scientific research in this area is incomplete. Relief can be provided by massage with massage oils, which relieve muscle tension, improve lymphatic circulation, and restore balance to internal organs. This procedure is commonly called a “jet lag massage,” but it can be either invigorating (for the morning) or relaxing (for the evening).
Is it possible to avoid jet lag altogether?
A few days before your trip, try shifting your sleep and meal schedule an hour a day to match the time zone you'll soon be traveling to. Even if you only manage to adjust your sleep schedule slightly, you'll adapt to your new surroundings much more quickly and easily.
Fighting jet lag would be like fighting yourself, as this syndrome is merely a temporary disruption of our biorhythms. It's no surprise that there are far more ways to alleviate the effects of jet lag than there are ways to avoid it.
Unable to prevent jet lag for various reasons, every traveler tries to find their own, individual, and most effective way to adapt to the new time zone. After all, the enjoyment of a vacation or the success of a business trip often directly depends on this insidious syndrome.
Have a nice trip, successful business trips and no jet lag!