Travel Tips: Ways to minimize jet lag

Travel tips: Ways to minimize jet lag With many of us now choosing to visit far away shores – that comes with flying long distances. For many of us, that means jet lag! When we travel through time zones, we usually find that ambient light and other environmental cues can make our internal clocks go haywire. Jet Lag can cause trouble sleeping, and when we do get to sleep, it's a shallow, light sleep. Other jet lag symptoms can include fatigue, irritability, nausea, trouble concentrating, headache, and upset stomach. In general, it takes a day to adjust for every time zone you've crossed, although the older you are, unfortunately the longer the adjustment can take. If you are flying East, this shortens your arrival day and can be more troublesome than flying West, which provides extra hours to catch up in the new time zone. On trips that involve crossing only one or two time zones, you may be able to wake up, eat, and sleep on our home time. There's no sure way to avoid jet lag entirely, but you may be able to reduce its effects and duration. Here's how: Start to shift before the trip. Gradually move mealtimes and bedtime closer to the schedule of your destination. For example, before traveling from the East Coast to Europe, go to bed a half-hour earlier than usual for several nights. If you'll be traveling a few time zones westward, stay up a half-hour later on several consecutive nights. Keep well hydrated. Mild dehydration is common when traveling by air — and being dehydrated worsens the physical symptoms of jet lag. So drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after your flight (water as always, is perfect!) BUT avoid caffeine and alcohol. Both promote dehydration, and while you might think that coffee could help keep you awake — and alcohol, help you sleep — in fact, both can disturb your sleep. Switch as rapidly as possible. If you'll be staying more than a day or two, adjust your sleeping and eating schedule to the new time zone as soon as you arrive (I always adjust my watch on the plane). It can be difficult, but try to stay awake until the local bedtime, to rise in the morning when the locals do, and to get outside in the natural light. Take short naps if you need them. Engaging in social activities can also help your body clock adjust. If you usually exercise, keep it up while you're away.