It is a well known phenomenon that long distance air travel causes jet lag. Jet lag refers to the misalignment of your internal body clock with the local time at your destination. This phenomenon often occurs when flying across three or more time zones.
It can cause
insomnia and other bothersome symptoms that persist for days or even weeks after a flight. But the thing is, whether you're traveling for business or pleasure, it can negatively affect your trip. For travelers, knowing about jet lag – including its symptoms, causes and ways to reduce it – can make long-haul travel more enjoyable and less disruptive to sleep and overall health.
What is Jet Lag?
Jet lag is a sleep-wake disorder of the circadian rhythm that occurs when your 24-hour internal clock, known as your circadian rhythm, doesn't match your local day-night cycle. Under normal conditions, a person's circadian rhythm aligns with daylight, promoting alertness during the day and sleep at night.
This internal clock synchronizes with the 24-hour clock to promote quality sleep as well as physical and mental health. A person's geographic location affects their circadian rhythm, as sunrise and sunset occur at different times in different locations.
What are the symptoms of Jet Lag?
The most common symptoms of jet lag include trouble sleeping, daytime sleepiness, fatigue, impaired thinking and memory problems, stomach problems, nausea, constipation, and it can worsen mental health problems such as mood disorders.
People with jet lag experience one or more of the symptoms listed above, which may begin immediately or appear a few days after arrival. Many people only sleep well the first night after a flight and have trouble sleeping in the following days.
Can Jet Lag Have Long-Term Consequences?
Jet lag is usually a short-term problem that subsides once the body's circadian rhythm adjusts to local time. For people who frequently take long-haul flights, such as pilots, flight attendants and business travelers, jet lag can become a chronic problem. A chronically out-of-sync circadian rhythm can create persistent sleep problems that can cause insomnia.
How Can You Prevent or Reduce Jet Lag?
The key to preventing and reducing jet lag is to quickly align your circadian rhythm to sync with the time zone of your destination. Until this is achieved, measures can be taken to manage symptoms.
For very short trips, you may be able to avoid jet lag with planned activities, including sleep, to keep your circadian rhythm aligned with your home time zone. This way, you avoid circadian disruptions both during the trip and after you return home.
For trips lasting more than a few days, minimizing jet lag requires adjusting to the day-night cycle at your destination. Below are suggested methods to reorient your circadian rhythm and practical tips for reducing jet lag:
1. Exposure to light
Light, specifically sunlight, is the most powerful influence on circadian rhythms, and deliberate exposure to light can help set your internal clock to avoid or reduce jet lag. Properly timed periods of both daylight and darkness can help synchronize your circadian rhythm with local time. When access to natural light is limited, light therapy lamps, also known as lightboxes, can provide exposure to bright light with greater circadian influence.
2. Melatonin
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the body that helps you feel sleepy and governs your circadian rhythm. It is usually produced at night, a few hours before sleep, but this may not occur due to jet lag.
There are both prescription drugs and dietary supplements that boost the body's melatonin levels, and some research shows that melatonin can reduce jet lag. Before taking melatonin or any other sleep medication, it is best to consult a doctor, ideally before your trip, to discuss the benefits and risks associated with your particular condition.
3. Pre-setting your internal clock
Some jet lag prevention methods rely on modifying your sleep schedule in the days before your trip so that when you arrive at your destination there is less of a discrepancy between your circadian rhythm and local time. In addition to changing your bedtime, this approach often includes melatonin and light exposure to proactively alter your circadian rhythm. While this approach can be beneficial in some situations, it may not be practical depending on your daily schedule and work, family and social obligations.
Practical Tips to Reduce Jet Lag
Before you travel...
Plan the first days of your trip. Be sure to give yourself time to sleep and follow your light exposure plan. Don't wait until the last minute to pack or leave for the airport. Rushing can increase stress and make your travels more difficult. Also, focus on getting quality rest for at least a few nights before your trip so you're not already sleep-deprived at the start of the trip.
During the flight...
Drink water to replenish fluids and counteract dehydration that can occur during the flight. Reduce alcohol and caffeine consumption on board or skip them altogether. Opt for fruits and vegetables instead of heavy, high-calorie, fatty snacks. Walking, standing and gently stretching sometimes during the flight can work beneficially for the body.
After arrival...
Find time for a walk or other light physical activity. Exercising outside to be exposed to daylight at the right time will help reset your circadian rhythm. Limit alcohol, caffeine and heavy meals as well as avoid the temptation to take too long a nap. Try to sleep less than 30 minutes and sleep only eight or more hours before your scheduled bedtime (preferably on a
good sleeping mattress ).
*The scientific information in the article has been approved by Dr. Abhinav Singh, Medical Director of the Indiana Sleep Center. His research and clinical practice focuses on sleep disorders.
