On Jet Lag

I was requested to act as technical support while there was an ongoing conference yesterday morning. Since I really don’t have the slightest idea on their topic, I have nothing better to do but to observe each of the participants in the conference.

There are a few participants who came all the way from Canada. Canada has a twelve hours time difference with Manila. And by 12 noon here, it is already 12 midnight in Canada. So I was observing one of the participants from Canada and he is really having a hard time in keeping his eyes open. I pity him. I remember when I went to Canada for training, we always go there at least three days before the training starts so we have at least a couple of days to adjust with the time difference.

But I’m really a sucker when it comes to jet lag. It would take me weeks before I get used to the time difference. I really find it hard to concentrate during the training specially after lunch when I’m really feeling all that sleepy and I can’t barely keep my eyes open. I envy my husband since he does not have any problem at all with jet lag. When we went to Canada, I departed one week ahead of him. But when he arrived, I still can’t sleep in the evening while he has no problem at all in going to sleep. According to NASA, it takes the body one day per time zone that we cross to fully recover.


So what are the tips to prevent jet lag? I found this tips from GORP website:

In-flight tips

• Don't depart exhausted — or hungover — then plan to"catch up on the plane.
• Bring water on the plane and drink it (WATER — not tea, juice, coffee, soda, or alcohol).
• Onboard, set your watch to destination time.
• Remove your shoes; get your feet up if you can.
• To maximize rest time, go to sleep immediately — as soon as the plane pulls away from the terminal and cuts off fresh air until takeoff (a natural sleep-inducer).Don't wait for the in-flight drinks or meal — that could take hours; eat lightly if you do eat at all.
• Use earplugs, a blindfold, blanket, neck rest — whatever it takes.>
• Don't use sleeping pills: A report in England's Lancet medical journal blames 18 percent of long-haul deaths on blood clots to the lungs — and sleeping pills induce a comatose state with little natural body movement (thus reducing circulation, thus increasing the chance of clotting).
• Exercise and stretch — in your seat, in the aisles, and during stopovers (pilots swear by stopover showers, for circulation).
• Ask the flight attendant to turn up the fresh air — seriously. (Vernon Ansdell, of the University of Hawaii, pointed out at a recent Wilderness Medical Society meeting that newer aircraft circulate more air.)

And when you reached your destination:

On the Ground

• Upon landing, start eating and sleeping on the new schedule.
• Expose yourself to bright daylight, without sunglasses, for at least fifteen minutes as soon as you can.
• Have an early-morning and late-afternoon exercise to help resynchronize your clock.
• Besides taking good care of yourself, other harmless ideas abound: walk barefoot on the ground at your destination; swim in the ocean; or take an Epsom-salt bath (all reportedly to ground your electromagnetic system).
• Have a massage.
• Begin living on the schedule of your destination days before you get there.

So the next time you travel, just follow some of these tips. Who knows it might work for you so you will really get to enjoy your vacation instead of dealing with your jet lag.