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Jet Lag Home Remedies
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When you fly across several time zones, you ask your body to adjust to a new time and a new place. It takes awhile for the internal clock to reset itself to the new day or night cycle. That's why you get jet lag. And the more time zones you cross, the more you suffer.
No matter which way you're going, each time zone crossed requires about 1 day of adjustment, says Charles Ehret, Ph.D.
The previously mentioned inner body clock, says Dr. Ehret, is really a whole set of clocks controlled by a master clock. "Every cell in the body is a clock," he explains, "and they're all brought together by a special pacemaker in the brain."
Normally your body clock operates on cycles approximately 24 to 25 hours long. But rapid time changes disrupt all that. The result is jet lag—fatigue, lethargy, inability to sleep, trouble concentrating and making decisions, irritability, perhaps even diarrhea and a lack of appetite.
Though you can't make time stand still, there's a lot you can do to take some of the zap out of jet lag.
Panel of Advisors
Charles Ehret, Ph.D., is a pioneer in the field of chronobiology, the study of time's effect on plants, animals, and people. He is a retired senior scientist from the Argonne National Laboratory, a unit of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Al Lewy, M.D., Ph.D., is a psychiatrist at Oregon Health Sciences University School of Medicine in Portland. He has done studies on the effects of sunlight on the human body clock.
Timothy Monk, Ph.D., D.Sc., is a professor of psychiatry and director of the human chronobiology research program at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Marijo Readey, Ph.D., was formerly a researcher at the Argonne National Laboratory, a unit of the U.S. Department of Energy.
Remedies
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Drink plenty of fluids during the flight
Airplane cabins are notoriously dry, Dr. Monk says, and fluids help combat the dehydration that induces fatigue. Dehydration obviously won't help you beat jet lag.
Avoid alcohol
Alcohol is a diuretic and further dehydrates you. Ask for juice or water instead.
Pass up breakfast with the passengers
Arrange to have breakfast at the breakfast time of your destination. In this situation, it would be soon before landing.
Fly by day, arrive at night
"The best plan is to arrive at your destination in midevening, get something light to eat, and go to bed by 11:00 p.m. destination time," says Timothy Monk, Ph.D.
Change your caffeine habits
Three days before the flight, stop consuming caffeine, except from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. One day before the flight, caffeine is allowed only between 7:00 and 8:00 a.m.
Mimic how globe-trotters cope
If you need a personal strategy for beating jet lag, check out tips from famous globe-trotters Henry Kissinger, Dwight D.
Live on a schedule
Weeks, or at least days, before you leave, maintain a sensible schedule.
Set your watch to the new destination time
Start acclimating yourself to the time change; stay mentally active in the half-hour immediately preceding breakfast time at your destination.
Get enough sleep
Shortchange yourself on sleep before your trip, Dr. Ehret says, and you can count on making jet lag worse.
Eat a hearty lunch with the natives
You may arrive in San Francisco in the morning, but put off eating until lunchtime. But it's also a feast day, so enjoy.
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Change your caffeine habits
Fly by day, arrive at night
Live on a schedule