Do-it-yourself cures for what ails you

Jet Lag

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.

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


Live on a schedule	Weeks, or at least days, before you leave, maintain a sensible schedule.
Get enough sleep	Shortchange yourself on sleep before your trip, Dr. Ehret says, and you can count on making jet lag worse.
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.	1 2 3 4 5
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.	1 2 3 4 5
Avoid alcohol	Alcohol is a diuretic and further dehydrates you. Ask for juice or water instead.	1 2 3 4 5
Pretend you're not on a plane	Flight attendant Jonie Nolan does this when she's not working and just traveling as a passenger.
Adapt to your new environment	When you arrive, start adapting to your new environment as quickly as possible. "Get involved—notice the new street names and the language of the people," says Dr. Ehret.
Socialize	This is especially important if your body craves sleep but it's only midafternoon at your destination.
Don't nap	Or if you do, limit the nap to 1 hour. Napping, Dr. Monk says, just delays your adjustment to the new time zone.
Soak up some sunshine	Get out in the sun at your destination as much as possible, says Dr. Monk.
Make a date with the sun	Some experts feel that the time of day you get out in the sunshine is also important.
Exercise	Exercise, especially outdoors, gets your body pumped up, helps alertness, and gets you out in the sunlight.
Stave off on decision-making	Put off all important decision-making for 24 hours or at least until you feel well-rested, advises Dr. Ehret.
Reverse the process	If possible, use these tips to prepare for your return flight home, too. Jet lag is a two-way sky.
Fight jet lag with feast and fast	The now-famous anti-jet lag diet developed by Charles Ehret, Ph.D., grew out of extensive animal research at the Argonne National Laboratory. In actuality, it is more than a diet.
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.	1 2 3 4 5
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.
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.	1 2 3 4 5
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.
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.	1 2 3 4 5
Homeopathy and Jet lag	Take Arnica 30c to get second wind so you can go to bed at local bed time. If you feel dizzy and nauseous try Cocculus 30c.Take one dose only repeat if benefit wears off and pain returns.