The worst thing about a long flight? Well... that’d be a long list of gripes; but No. 1 on my list would be “jet lag”. The exhaustion and disorientation that travelling between time zones causes is something I can live without. Thanks, but no thanks.
Problem is... jet lag is a kind of necessary evil – like gravity. It will always be there, like a mid-summer tube strike or ‘leaves on the line’ train delay!
Our human body is not designed to jump between time zones in a matter of hours and it’s only in the last century that mankind has faced jet lag. In the days of non motorized transport, the body had plenty of time to adjust to new time zones as horse & cart plodded across the countryside.
With the advent of air travel that’s all changed, with our bodies able to cross three or four time zones in almost as many hours. It’s therefore no surprise that the body clock is suddenly out of alignment. The brain says it’s time to sleep, but your eyes see it’s broad daylight. The body’s physiology goes berserk and what you feel is the traveler’s dread - jet lag.
It’s not just tiredness either. British Airways commissioned a study that showed jet-lag can impair decision-making by up to 50% and reduce memory and communications skills. It also makes one frightfully crabby as I can personally testify whilst queuing for one and a half hours in 90 degree heat in St Lucia’s airport arrival hall (note to self: write to the President of St Lucia and ask him why he can’t employ one or two more staff. After all, it’s not as though that island is over-employed).
So what are the best ways of combating jet lag? There are a number of ways you can minimize the effects of jet lag:
- The moment you’re airborne, set your watch to the local time of your destination. Give your brain advance warning of the time change so that there’s less of a systemic shock.
- Try to get into destination mode as soon as possible. For example, if your watch says it’s bedtime at your destination, try to go to sleep. If it’s the reverse, fight your urge to doze off. The better you can get into the destination mindset, the better you’ll fare. It’s ultimately a mind game... and if you can persuade your mind to get into destination mode, you’re more than halfway there.
- Stay away form alcohol and put lots of water in your system. That means no double rum & cokes so beloved by Active You’s publisher! Alcohol is a sure-fire way of putting tinder under your jetlag, setting it alight and combining it with a transcontinental hangover. Don’t do it!
- Get rest while you can, you’ll need the reserve energy after you alight.
- Once you’ve reached your destination, follow the local timetable from the moment you touch down. Stick to the clock of the place as much as possible. It can be tiring initially, but you’ll soon adjust to the new time zone.
That’s about it. Yes, there are ‘cheat options’ available. Melatonin, which speeds up the body’s internal clock, has a controversial reputation because it’s yet to be approved by the US’s Food & Drug Administration. However, The FDA hasn’t ‘approved’ the swine flu vaccine either and they feel confident enough to inject that into millions of Americans! In the UK, melatonin can only be prescribed by a GP.
Active You’s best secret tip? If you fly west, you will find it difficult to stay awake but easy to wake up, If you fly east, typically it is the other way around. Therefore plan the next day carefully according to the direction you’re travelling in!
