Jet lag: causes, effects, and management strategies

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Jet lag is one of the most common problems among domestic and international air travelers, causing a variety of physical and mental problems.

Jet lag is a common problem among air travelers, often affecting as many as 94% of long distance travelers. The most common cause of jet lag is rapid transit across a variety of worldwide time zones. The more time zones a person crosses, the greater the disruption of the internal body clock, which governs temperature, heartbeat, blood pressure, and physiological patterns, often resulting in disorientation and mental and physical fatigue. It is also a well-known fact among frequent fliers that their resistance is lowered, making them more susceptible to colds, flu, and stomach upsets.

Many travelers have experienced the adverse affects of flying long distances or over long periods of time. Its similar to extreme fatigue, feeling out of sorts and often, accompanied by physical discomfort that includes dehydration and leg and feet discomfort. Couple that with disorientation, lack of concentration and motivation and disrupted sleep and you've got jet lag.

According to a pamphlet published by the U.S. Government, " After years of study, and continued suffering, jet lag, like the common cold is still with us. It is so prevalent that many studies are ongoing and several books have been written to advise jet passengers on dealing with it. A few things are finally known and most researchers agree on a number of causes and remedies.

We have learned that the human body functions in accordance with a sensitive and complex internal clock that sets up circadian rhythms. Our environment and our habits provide the timing for these rhythms and act in concert, producing our daily physical schedule. Jet travel, however, takes us across time zones, on transmeridian flights, far too swiftly for this body clock to adjust."

Of course, this is a common problem that has been studied over the years with numerous conclusions and advice. J. Ricker Polsdorfer, author of an article on jet lag, defines the condition as marked by fatigue and irritability that is caused from air travel when you change time zones.

One interesting finding, resulting from in-flight studies where control groups were given placebos, indicated that an over-the-counter substance called melatonin works to reduce the effects of jet lag. Melatonin is a hormone that our bodies secrete into the blood stream when its time to sleep. The absence of light as well as the timing of our meals governs the release. For this reason it is important to take melatonin pills not during flight but at nightfall once you reach your destination. Melatonin is a potent, free radical scavenger and like other antioxidants, such as vitamin C, it protects against aging. In the laboratory it has been shown to enhance the immune system and retard the growth of certain tumors. Light suppresses melatonin but at nightfall the body releases it making you sleepy. Melatonin levels start to rise at the onset of night and peak around twelve midnight. From there the levels drop off until morning. The pills are available over-the-counter and in health food stores but have not yet received official FDA approval. Certain studies showed that males given melatonin were able to sleep within five to six minutes, while men given a placebo took twenty minutes fall asleep or longer.

Basically, jet lag is the disruption of the inner body clock and from that stems all of the other problems associated with how we feel when we have jet lag. Jet lag usually lasts from 24-48 hours after travel has taken place. In that short time period, the body adjusts to the time changes, and with enough rest, it returns to normal circadian rhythm. A lot of the things we can do to prevent jet lag are common sense and will help to reset your body clock.

According to the U.S. Government, the following advice will help you avoid and/or recover from jet lag.

Start Rested

The preparation for a long trip often means you're tired before you begin. If at all possible, get enough rest in the days prior to your trip, so you can start out strong and full of energy.

Sleep

Its best if you can sleep on the plane. Earplugs, eyeshades, and a comfortable neck pillow are well worth the effort of packing if they prevent you from losing a day to jet lag. Try to take care of as many travel details as possible before you leave so that flight day is stress and anxiety-free, and wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Set your watch to the destination time as soon as you board the plane.

Noise cancellation

For a high-tech solution, especially if you like to listen to music as you rest, try our noise cancellation headsets rather than your own headset. It generates its own "anti-sound waves" to counteract the noise in the cabin.

Avoid alcohol

While a drink or two may relax you, alcohol can dehydrate you, making your symptoms worse. Avoid sleeping pills and mind-altering pharmaceuticals on the day you fly.

Drink Water

Lots of it. Plan on 8 to 16 ounces during each hour of travel. Taking your own water bottle can save you the awkwardness of repeatedly pressing the "call button" for another glass of water, and will help you resist caffeinated and sugared drinks, which can actually make you more dehydrated. Collapsible Platy Bottles are a good choice, since they don't require much space when they're empty. Have a nice, long hot bath when you arrive to rehydrate and relax.

Exercise

Long periods of sitting on an airplane, bus, or train are hard on your body. Walking and stretching exercises in flight will help your body adjust to the new climate. To help reset your body clock, try to stay awake until bedtime rather than taking a nap upon arrival - spending time outdoors seems to help most travelers.

Its interesting to note that exposure to bright sunlight cures most people of jet lag in just a few days. Some travelers may still suffer from sleep disruptions but the stimulation from bight light can help alleviate that and return the body clock to its normal cycle.

According to Polsdorfer, when people are without clocks in a compartment that is completely closed to sunlight, most of them fall into a circadian cycle of about 25 hours. Normally, all the regulating chemicals follow one another in order like threads in a weaving pattern. Every morning the sunlight resets the cycle, stimulating the leading chemicals and thus compensating for the difference between the 24-hour day and the 25-hour innate rhythm.