Jet Lag

Travelling long distances (more than five time zones) from East to West usually leads to one common problem at the arrival destination: JET-LAG. The rapid flight through different time zones confuses the control mechanisms that monitor our daily temperature and hormone fluctuations, heart activity, appetite, fatigue and energy level. To overcome the routine time schedule at home, the “biological clock” within the human body has to be either “forwarded” or “put back”. However, until the feeling of hunger or sleep has adjusted to the sunrise and sunset and other unfamiliar changes at the travel destination, travellers generally tend to feel rather low.

Advice:

  • Adjust sleeping habits to flight direction (East to West or West to East)
  • Light therapy, i.e. spend as much time as possible outdoors at your travel destination
  • Adjust immediately upon arrival to the local time and local daily rhythm
  • Arrange food intake before, during and after flight into four to five small, light meals
  • Avoid heavy meals and alcoholic beverages before flights
  • Drink plenty of water during the flight. Alcoholic beverages have the same effect as the conditioned air within the aircraft: they dry out the body and so reduce its ability to adjust
  • Avoid cramped up positions during flight
  • Avoid staying in dark places during the day
  • Even if you do feel tired, do not take any or only very short naps during the day
  • Do some easy outdoor physical activities during the day