Find out exactly what it is and how to minimise its effects

Being able to travel long distances, whether for business or pleasure, in a matter of a few hours, is one of mankind’s greatest advances. Flying is one of the safest and most comfortable means of travel, because you can rest or work on the way and stretch your legs and use the lavatory whenever you need to without stopping.

However, one of the big drawbacks of air travel, particularly when on a business trip, is the time we ‘waste’ at the airport. Another big downside is, of course, jet lag.

Jet lag, which is also known as “circadian dysrhythmia”, is caused by flying through several time zones or meridians in a short space of time.  This is because our biological clocks, also known as circadian rhythms, need to adapt to the local time too quickly. Our biological clocks cover 24 hours and a few minutes. Each time zone you cross adds or subtracts time and this means you either miss certain hours of the day or you go through them again.

What are the symptoms of jet lag?

• Sleepiness, if you have flown back in time and have to start a new day without having slept during the night.
• Insomnia, if you have flown forward and it is night time in your destination, far before your body expects.
• Muscle fatigue, due to lack of rest.
• Inability to concentrate, due to lack of sleep.
• Digestive problems, such as poor appetite, diarrhoea or constipation, heartburn or nausea. Due to lack of control over meal times.
• Mood swings, such as irritability or apathy. Because you feel disoriented.
• Headache and dry nose and throat. Due to pressure changes.

What can you do about it?

The more time zones through which you travel, the more disturbance to your sleep and body. It can take up to two days to get used to a new time zone.

This advice may be helpful:

• Rest as much as you can, particularly if you are eastward bound. Because you are losing time, your body will not rest during the night and you will suffer from jet lag for longer. If yours is a night flight, make the most of it and sleep. Avoid coffee and drinks containing caffeine and ask your doctor about taking something to help you to relax.
• Plan your agenda. If you are travelling on business, try to schedule your meetings for times when you would not normally be asleep, at least for the first day. However, you should stay active, even if you are on holiday, so as not to sleep at the wrong time.
• To help you to stay active, make the most of the daylight hours at your destination. When it gets dark, you’ll find it easier to sleep.
• Avoid heavy meals for the first few days. Eat light food so as to avoid stomach ache, eat smaller quantities more often, drink plenty of fluids and keep your vitamin C and tryptophan intake up. These help to form neurotransmitters, release endorphins and can put you in a better mood. Dried fruits, pineapple, orange, kiwi, banana, chocolate…

Don’t worry. Within a couple of days you will be fully adapted and ready to enjoy your new location.

This post is also available in: Spanish