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How to deal with jetlag
Jetlag is a familiar problem for me. As a flight attendant for one of the nation's largest airlines, it's something I've had to get used to. I've crisscrossed the globe, jet-setting from one side of the world to the opposite side in a matter of days. Sometimes I feel like a time traveler. Especially when a flight from Tokyo to New York that departs at noon arrives twelve hours later at eleven in the morning the same day. Such equations are why jetlag puts us in a fog. But there are simple steps you can take to mitigate and alleviate the symptoms of jetlag.First, it's important to understand what jetlag is, and what its causes are.
Your body relies on cycles of darkness and light to know when you should sleep and when you should eat. This cycle becomes disrupted when you suddenly become displaced in a different time zone with light and dark cycles to which your body is not accustomed. Suddenly, you'll find yourself craving dinner at breakfast time, and wide-awake when you normally would be fast asleep. This is jetlag.
Drinking lots of water while traveling will help you recover from jetlag faster. The humidity on an airplane can be as low as 10%. On long flights this can become a big problem.
Jet lag affects you differently depending on how many time zones you are crossing and in what direction you are traveling. Let's say that Sally and Tommy are meeting in New York for business. Sally is in Los Angeles and Tommy is in London. Sally leaves LA at noon and arrives in New York at 9pm. Because it is only 6pm back on the west coast, Sally isn't tired at all, and can't get to sleep until 1am. She arrives at the meeting tired and restless because of her poor night's sleep. Tommy leaves London at 5pm and arrives in New York at 8pm. By that time it's already 1am in London, so he's exhausted and goes to bed right away. Because he went to bed early by New York standards, he arrives at the meeting well rested and ready to take on the day.This example is assuming that neither of them slept during the flight, which is the most effective way to prevent jet lag. I know this because I experience jetlag more when I'm working and have to stay up the whole time verses when I'm a passenger and can sleep at my leisure. If Sally had taken a nap on her flight, she would have already caught up on some of the hours of sleep she's going to miss that night. For Tommy, he would have been able to stay up on his arrival in New York and maybe enjoy some of the sights before retiring at a reasonable hour.
Of course, we can't all sleep on planes, especially in economy. If you aren't able to sleep on the plane, there are things you can do to help reset your clock:
- When making travel plans, give yourself a day to recover before you jump into your business meeting or vacation.
- It's ok to be off balance when you first arrive. If you're not tired even though it's dark, stay up (the bars in New York are open till 4am).
- If you are tired even if you get there in the middle of the day, go to sleep.
- Be sure that you are exposed to the natural light and dark cycle of your destination. This means that when you go to sleep, keep the curtains open. When on a layover I usually sleep with the curtains open, and I find that I wake with the sun, even if I didn't get the same amount of sleep I normally do.
- The next day, go to sleep at a normal hour. It sounds like it might be difficult, but if you do what I say and make sure you keep the curtains open, you should be able to adjust to the new time zone easily. Also, make sure that you keep yourself busy during the day. If you're on vacation, make plans to do some light sight seeing.
When you experience jetlag, you also experience hunger cravings at odd times. The simple solution to this is to snack. If you feel hungry in the middle of the night, eat something like a granola bar to hold you over until breakfast. I've had many nights in Narita where I was starving in the middle of the night when all the restaurants and grocery stores were closed. Most countries will allow you to bring in dry goods such as trail mix or dried fruits. Avoid bringing fresh fruits or dairy as these items could be confiscated.Finally, drinking lots of water while traveling will help you to recover from jetlag faster. The humidity on an airplane can be as low as ten percent. On long flights this can become a really big problem. Most airlines serve a beverage at least every hour-and-a-half to two hours on long haul flights. You should supplement that by bringing your own water on board. I recommend at least thirty-two ounces. You can either buy a bottle inside the terminal or fill up your own bottle (Nalgene bottles work great) once you get past security. Avoid caffeinated drinks or alcohol, as these will dehydrate you.
Next time you travel you can be rest assured, or assured of rest, by following the simple guidelines I've covered. First and foremost, try to sleep on the plane. If you can't make sure that you plan your trip so you have a day that you can rest. Keep yourself exposed to the natural light and dark cycles of your destination. Drink plenty of water, and make sure you bring some snacks along for the midnight hunger strike. It's easy, and in no time you'll go from jet lag, to no lag.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Mary Jo Dec 28th 2009 9:41PM
While I agree with some of your tips (especially sleeping with the drapes open on layovers), I heartily disagree with your suggestion that you sleep in the middle of the day if you're tired.
I've found that staying awake during the day is critical if I'm going to adjust to a new time schedule. If I nap, I then can't sleep at night and for another day I am off cycle. I've also found that once I go to sleep at night and wake up the following morning my body has made a huge leap toward acclimating itself to a new time zone.
The other tip I'd add is to stop thinking of the time as the time at your home. It's the time where you are that matters, and it's just messes with your mind otherwise.
Nick Dec 28th 2009 11:38PM
David, I have to agree with Mary Jo's comment about staying awake during the day to adjust better with local time. I've traveled 15+ hour flights (obviously not as often as you!!) and it has always worked for me to force myself through the day and go to bed only after the sun goes down. Your body will fight against your will through the day, but you are acclimatized the moment you wake up on Day 2 morning. On the other hand, if you give in and retire during the day, your body's time conflict with the new surrounding will continue into Day 2, Day 3 and so on. Just bite the bullet on the first day to cut that ugly cycle.
Of course, coping strategies depend on individual circumstances (whether you are on a vacation or business) as well as one's health and bodily abilities.
Great article overall!
Unexpected Traveller Dec 29th 2009 11:11AM
I've found that ever since I started travelling frequently, as long as I manage to squeeze in 8 hours of sleep in any 24-hour period, I'm fine. Of course a series of half-hour naps on a flight are not really ideal, but the effect is similar to not having slept enough and that is something that can be controlled through industrial amounts of caffeine.
The Unexpected Traveller
Joe Dec 29th 2009 12:16PM
I also have to strongly disagree with the suggestion that you sleep during the day if you're tired and in a new time zone, and that you stay up 'til the wee hours if you can't sleep at night. It's possibly the *worst* thing to do, in fact: You'll make sure that your body does not acclimate to the offset pattern of light & dark. Instead, get to sleep when local time says go to sleep (*don't* hit the bars until 4am!) and try to stay awake during the day.
AM Dec 30th 2009 7:48AM
My Dad was a professional pilot, who flew all over the globe, his last duty station being part of the Presidential squadron at Andrews AFB outside of Washington, DC. His flights would take him from country to country and he was usually away for two weeks at a time. Over the years, he found that eating breakfast every meal helped him acclimate with each new destination and also get back on his regular time when he returned home [he would also eat breakfast when he returned]. I think it was more of a psychological way of fooling the body. He had to sleep whenever he could and did not have the luxury of going through the tiredness until the local bedtime. I do agree with the comments here though, and it has also been my experience that I do better when getting acclimated to the local time the first day.
Spin Dr Dec 30th 2009 10:29AM
I always set my watch to match the destination time just a short time into the flight. Then I think in that time frame while making my plans what I'll be doing upon arrival. For some reason, my brain gets adjusted to the new time during the flight and it is not shocking to make the big leap once you are on the ground.
F.R.Patterson Dec 30th 2009 11:24AM
No one mentioned using Melatonin as an aid to adjusting to different time zones. A close friend is a retired Delta pilot and told me about Melatonin being used for a few decades by flight crews. I use it regularly just as a sleep aid. If you arrive at a flight destination which has a local time of 11 PM but your body thinks it is still in a much earlier time zone, a tiny pill of Melatonin "fools" your body into thinking it is "bedtime" and you can snooze away - but only if you choose to. By that I mean, unlike a true sleeping pill, Melatonin can be "overridden" should you get an unexpected invite to a party. Few people report any side or after effects.
Just a thought...
Robert Dec 30th 2009 12:46PM
As a retired F-16 based Flight Surgeon, USAF-Air National Guard, I've participated in many overseas deployments. The key to planning for "downtime" or a rest cycle is knowing what your goal will be (vacation - have fun, air combat, etc.). All aircrew are asked to "ground test" Ambien (8 hours)/Sonata (4 hours) (so that we know how it will effect us should we use either drug during an actual deployment). We use both drugs to reset our circadian rhythm when necessary. We time use of either drug to what our mission is and when we will need to be awake - for example, when we will have to attend a morning brief or perform an air sortie - allowing enough time for the drug to where off. More than rare use of such drugs is discouraged. Many of us work with Air Ops commanderes, using specialized software to "shift" pilot's air missions to the right cycle (for example, we don't recommend, unless absolutely necessary, moving from morning sorties to nightime sorties and back again in an abrupt way.) When we are flying East, and arriving during daylight hours, we will often recommend a brief nap (drapes closed) and set up a sleep schedule that approximates that in the new time zone. When flying West, especially on trips longer than 16-18 hours, it is best to allow for at least one day of acclimation. If arriving during daylight hours, we will stay awake until the regular time - in the new time zone - for sleep. The goal is to approximate as rapidly as possible the new time zone's sleep-wake routine and avoid caffeine during the shift from home until the new time zone's new sleep-wake pattern has been established. Maintaining a good state of hydration is critical as is resisting high-fat diet during the transition. We also recommend taking night shades and ear plugs to the new location.
Dane Dec 30th 2009 3:27PM
I fly 150.000 to 200.000 miles a year and have done that for the last 20 years with at least 10 trips a year overseas (both Europe and Asia). I have found the best think to do is to set your watch to the time zone that I am flying to. If it is night where I am going then I will go straight to sleep. If it is daytime then I will stay awake. I have found this cutting the jet lag to a minimum. I totally agree with keep the curtains open all day and night to help your body deal with the change of time zone. I do not agree with the suggestion about sleeping during the day. The few times I have done that I have had to deal with jet lag for several days. Most of the time when I fly to Asia or Europe that I am expected to work the day after I arrive for 10 plus hours. I also agree with drinking plenty of water. I always bring a bottle that has a filter inside. I can then fill it up wherever I go as soon as I get through security.
Zpider Dec 30th 2009 4:26PM
My Dad travels quite regularly via airlines. He has mentioned several times that getting up and walking around the terminal during layovers has helped with jet lag.