Jet Lag: New Approaches to an Old Problem

The symptoms are well-known: fatigue, insomnia, and poor concentration. Your performance can also be at risk. It is known, for example, that professional football teams have a worse record on the road when they cross multiple time zones compared with away games in their same time zone. Travelers often report that they're exhausted but can't sleep, truly one of life's most frustrating experiences. Jet Lag typically arises when you travel through three or more time zones. Complete recovery can take 3 to 7 days for westward travel, and 5 to 14 days after an eastward flight.

Our bodies have internal clocks (circadian rhythms) which control many functions, including the sleep-wake cycle. Ever notice how you wake up a couple of minutes before your alarm clock rings, or you wake up at your usual 6 am even on Saturday when you'd hoped to sleep in? That's your internal clock. The key to dealing with jet lag is to reset your internal clock, the same way you reset your watch when the pilot announces the local time.

Travelers with critically important meetings or events should arrive several days or more ahead of time to acclimate. Because eastbound flights are more difficult as the day is shortened, eastbound travelers should allow more recovery time. If possible, travelers should avoid "red eye" or night flights. On the night before any long-haul flight, travelers should try to sleep as much as possible and attempt to arrive close to bedtime in the new destination.

While there is genuine progress being made in understanding our biological clocks and in devising methods of resetting them, there is no miracle cure for jet lag. It seems that both exposure to daylight and strategically managing our meal times might help avoid the worst effects.

Popular suggestions for combating jet lag include special diets, trips to the spa, massages, sensory deprivation flotation tanks, topical creams, and acupressure, among others. There are also several homeopathic remedies made from herbs and other ingredients.

This article is helpful to the many traveling clients we have at RCB & Associates. Both business travelers and our leisure travelers have enjoyed the peace of mind that GeoBlue Travel, Medical, and International Health Insurance provides. You can read the full article here.