CHANDIGARH
Jet lag, also known as jet lag disorder, is a transitory sleep issue that can affect anyone who travels across numerous time zones in a short period of time.
Your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythms) tells you when to stay awake and when to go to sleep. Because your body’s clock is still set to your original time zone rather than the time zone to which you’ve travelled, you’ll experience jet lag. The more time zones you travel across, the more prone you are to have jet lag.
- Daytime lethargy, an uneasy sensation, difficulty remaining attentive, and gastrointestinal difficulties are all symptoms of jet lag. Although jet lag is just transitory, it can dramatically diminish the comfort of your holiday or business trip. There are, fortunately, actions you may take to help prevent or reduce jet lag.
Symptoms:
Jet lag has a wide range of symptoms. You might only have one symptom or a slew of them. Symptoms of jet lag include:
- Insomnia, early waking, or excessive drowsiness are examples of sleep disturbances.
- Daytime exhaustion
- You’re having trouble concentrating or operating at your normal level.
- Constipation, diarrhoea, or stomach issues
- A overall sensation of unwellness
- Mood swings
Prevention tips:
A few simple steps can help prevent or lessen the symptoms of jet lag:
- Arrive early to avoid disappointment. If you have an important meeting or other function where you need to be at your best, arrive a few days early to let your body acclimate.
- If you’re travelling east, consider going to bed an hour earlier each night for a few days before leaving. If you’re flying west, go to bed one hour later for several nights. Eat meals as close to the time you’ll be having them at your destination as feasible.
- Regulating light exposure may help you adjust to your new location because light exposure is one of the primary influencers on your body’s circadian rhythm.
- In general, exposure to light in the evening aids in the adaptation to a later than typical time zone (moving westward), and exposure to light in the morning aids in the adaptation to an earlier time zone (traveling eastward).
- The only exception is if you’ve travelled more than eight time zones from your starting point, in which case your body may confuse early morning light for late dusk.
- Wear sunglasses and avoid strong light in the morning if you’ve moved more than eight time zones east, and then let in as much sunlight as possible in the late afternoon during the first few days in your new area.
- If you’ve gone west by more than eight time zones, avoid sunshine for the first several days to help your body acclimate to the new time zone.
- Before you go, change your watch to the new time. No matter how weary you are when you get to your destination, try not to sleep until the local midnight. Also, try to time your meals to coincide with local mealtimes.
- To combat the drying effects of dry cabin air, drink lots of water before, during, and after your journey. Dehydration can exacerbate the effects of jet lag. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can dehydrate you and disrupt your sleep..
- Noise and light can be blocked with earplugs, headphones, and eye masks. If you’re going somewhere during the day, fight the impulse to sleep.