How to Arrive Not Looking Jetlagged? 15 Amazing Tips to Avoid Jet Lag!
Jet lag, medically known as desynchronosis, is a physiological disorder that causes trouble to numerous travellers. It disturbs an individual’s sleep because of swift travel across different time zones (typically at least 2) and makes an irregularity to the person’s circadian rhythm. Since it is a common problem. travellers need to know tips to avoid jet lag.
Everyone has an inbuilt natural body clock that calibrates times of sleep. Travelling through different time zones impacts natural factors, for example, body temperature, eating times, and also specific hormones. The suprachiasmatic nucleus or SCN situated in our hypothalamus regulates these functions.
The SCN is linked with our optic nerves and it can sense the changes in lighting that enable it to manage certain body functions. It utilizes the absence or the presence of light as its main assessment is adjusting these body functions. It makes us believe that when it is day time, it is time to stay up, and when the sun goes down, it is an ideal time to sleep. Our body’s circadian rhythm synchronizes itself with the environment where you live.
If you travel long distances in brief timeframes, the circadian rhythm takes time to adjust itself to the new time zone. Your body needs to rest when it is the night where you live and to stay up when it is daytime where you live. Jet lag happens when your body clock is not in sync with your present area’s clock.
When travelling, Jet lag does not come about even when you have travelled long distances unless you have crossed multiple time zones because crossing time zones in a lesser time than our natural body clock would need to adjust to the changed time zone.
Jet Lag Symptoms
Sleep deprivation, fatigue, dizziness and loss of appetite are some of the most common symptoms. Jet lag can be compared with being intoxicated for certain individuals.
These side effects are frequently more extreme when travelling different continents. For instance, you are bound to have serious jet lag when flying from Europe to North America, or the other way around. For reasons unknown, older individuals will usually experience more extreme issues of jet lag when flying multiple time zones. The older you get, the almost certain you are to have the side effects of jet lag. Furthermore, kids can overcome jet lag rapidly and effectively.
As you know, your body has a biological clock which struggles to keep up with the changed time zones or just when you keep awake until late and don’t get enough sleep. The outcome is a weakness, lack of focus, touchiness, craving and discomfort.
To reset your natural body clock, there are two key factors that ought to be considered: sun and the right food. It is without a doubt as basic as that: you simply need some sun at the right time and sufficient food at the right time. Get these two things right and the rest automatically falls in place for your body to deal with and give you back your health and happiness.
Note that this article focuses on overcoming jetlag because of multiple time-zone changes, the greater part of these tips also apply when you need to get back into a normal routine once again after pulling off a couple of late nights.
Below are some common symptoms of jet lag:
- Insomnia
- Disturbed sleep
- Fatigue during the day
- Difficulty in concentrating
- Anxiety
- Headaches
- Trouble functioning
- Irritability
- Indigestion
- Irregular bowel movements
- Difficulty in falling asleep
- Early awakenings
Age additionally is a factor in the gravity of jet lag symptoms and the time it takes to recover.
Other factors experienced during a trip can lead to various issues. Sitting in a cramped place during a long flight can cause discomfort in your back, legs and different muscles.
The pressurized cabin air in planes brings down the oxygen amount in the blood causing jet lag.
If you have a long flight, there are some things that you must take care of to prevent extreme jetlag. Remember these 15 tips and you will be able to travel without any discomfort.
1. Keep your schedule relaxed before your flight
Get your vacation feeling by keeping your schedule a bit relaxed before your trip, as opposed to feeling exhausted. In case you are somebody with a fixed routine at home, try to loosen up that routine a few days prior to your flight. Having a fixed routine of eating and sleeping will make it harder for you to change in accordance with new time zones. In case you are adaptable about such courses of action, you will begin your outing abroad with a significant favourable position.
2. Sleep well before your flight
People frequently end up staying up long hours before a long flight – regardless of whether it is pre-vacation excitement or an intentional effort to exhaust yourself so that you will sleep through the flight. It is a huge mistake. Changes to your normal routine at the last minute will just make it harder to sync to new time zones, and getting a good night’s sleep before your flight will make you better prepared to avoid jet lag.
3. Try to keep your flight arrivals during day time
As far as it is possible, pick a flight which arrives in the daytime. This will make it simpler to remain awake – you will be significantly more enticed to get out and explore if the sun is shining and you have an entire day to do so.
4. Know about the planes
You don’t need to be an aviation geek to understand that A350s and A380s are two of the best planes for anybody wanting to overcome jet lag. In these planes, the lighting systems can create 16.7 million colour shades. They replicate the natural phases of the day and the Hi-tech humidification system help the air retain moisture, helping beat jet lag. Another advantage is their air purification system which refreshes the air at regular intervals of 2 minutes.
5. Spend time in the natural light
Expose yourself to as much daylight as possible. It will make you feel better unless you have stayed up all night which is anyways a bad idea before a long flight.
Your natural body clock is enormously impacted by daylight presence. Getting out into the sunshine can enable you to alter your body clock a lot quicker. When travelling, spend time outside in the light promptly in the mornings. But maintain a strategic distance from light amid late evenings and nighttimes. Artificial light can likewise help to treat jet lag in similar ways that it is utilized to shift work sleeping disorder.
6. Have a stopover
Try to include a stopover if the distance is too long, so your body has more time to adjust to the new time zone. This can likewise cut the cost of your airfare. Spend some time in your chosen stopover so as to make your body clock adjust better.
7. Try and avoid alcohol before or during your flight
Alcohol is tempting, many want to celebrate the start of their holiday before their vacation, the impacts of liquor at height will cause increased tiredness and make you dehydrated, making it significantly harder to beat the inescapable jet lag.
8. Stay hydrated
Drink a lot of water. To maintain a strategic distance from being dehydrated and getting headaches on long flights, keep yourself hydrated by drinking a lot of water and staying away from liquor and caffeine.
9. Say no to sleeping pills
Taking sleeping pills for long flights is a big mistake. They will cause a lot of problems, and will not have any potential benefits. They will do nothing to help you recover from jet lag. Instead, they will simply make you feeling dizzy when you land. In case you need some sleep, do it the regular way. Why not try some green tea which helps you fall asleep.
10. Avoid caffeine
Stay away from caffeine, for example, cola, coffee or any caffeinated drinks. These artificial stimulants will reduce your sleeping ability and expand jet lag recovery time. Your body works best when it is hydrated. So drinking heaps of water is an extraordinary method to balance the impacts of jet lag.
11.Set your watch according to your travel destination
When you are on the aeroplane, set your watch to the new time zone (where you are going) to get yourself mentally adjusted. Do not do this before your flight because you might forget and end up missing your flight.
12. Stay active
Stay as active as possible and do activities to keep your blood circulation going. Furthermore, in the event that you have at any point thought about how to stay away from DVT, you should know that good blood circulation is vital. Exercise to increase your endorphins; it will help fight the jet lag that comes with long haul flights.
13. Eat right
A great tip is to eat three times per day in accordance with the new time zone, regardless of whether that implies cornflakes at 10 pm. What’s more, in case you are the kind of individual who loves to eat, it probably won’t be such a trouble.
14. Keep the first two days relaxed
The first couple of days of your stay at your vacation should be relaxed. It is ideal to gradually become accustomed to the time zone. So wait up for your big adventure until the third day. Up to that point keep everything relaxed and stress-free.
15. Get 8 hours of sleep every day
Try to get 8 hours of sleep– do not compromise on your sleep– take a nap during the day if you didn’t get enough sleep during the day on the day of arrival if required.
For most people, jet lag is effectively cured after a couple of days in a new time zone. But if your trip is short and has just a couple of days to return home, it is usually best to keep up your normal timetable so as to make sure you are not rearranging your time zone when you come back home.
For frequent flyers, pilots, airline crews, jet lag can turn into a recurring issue. In the event that you fit into this class of flyers, you might need counsel from a sleep specialist doctor. They are well trained in helping individuals alter their circadian rhythms by offering tips and meds for an assortment of therapies including brilliant light treatment, melatonin supplements, etc.
Do you know some Cool Tips to Get Rid Of Altitude Sickness? Also, check out my blog on Common Travel Related Health Issues and Remedies.
