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OOKED FLIGHT TO EXOTIC LOCALE?
Check.
Packed passport, visas and more things than you really need?
Check.
Got a plan to battle jet lag?
Many travelers deal well with the massive to-do lists that come with getting ready to jet off to foreign countries. But they aren't adequately prepared for the result of crossing time zones, which can seriously impact their travels and well-being.
Jet lag was first recorded in 1931, when U.S. pilot Wiley Post went around the world in eight days, according to the nonprofit organization Aviation Health.
Crossing time zones and traveling thousands of miles by air often leaves a person's body struggling to catch up.
Until the body's internal clock gets in sync with local time, a traveler is likely to get a taste of any number of jet lag's common symptoms--daytime sleepiness, insomnia, loss of appetite, lack of concentration and mood swings. Jet lag also can cause upset stomach, irritability, reduced physical and mental performance and an increased dependency on caffeine.
For people traveling abroad, it's a good idea to factor in some jet lag recovery time before launching into sightseeing plans.
When you cross several time zones, a general rule of thumb is that for every hour of time change, it will take your body a day to readjust.
If your trip is only two to three days, and you've traveled a great distance, there may not be much you can do to fully adjust. But fear not: There are plenty of tips for coping with even the worst jet lag situations.
Natural fixesMike Fay, a combat artist with the Marine Corps who lives in Fredericksburg, has traveled to the Middle East four times in the last five years.
He made the journeys on windowless aircraft and found that each time, it was easier going over than coming back. Jet lag symptoms tend to be worse after eastward flights, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
"You just feel wide awake and then all of a sudden your body goes: 'Wait! It's like 3 in the morning,'" Fay said.
Fay tries to sleep as much as possible on his flights. He said that when the jet lag really kicks in and he goes into a "stun-bunny stage," he doesn't try to fight it. Instead, he sleeps when he feels tired.
The easiest and cheapest way to reset your internal clock once you arrive at your destination is to get some exposure to natural sunlight, according to the World Health Organization.
If your flight gets in at night, go to bed on local time and get outside the next day. If your flight lands in the morning, stay up all day, get outdoors and go to bed on local time.
Aviation Health recommends adjusting your meal times to local time as soon as possible, setting your watch to your destination time and ignoring home time while you're away.
Chris Musick, a frequent traveler, is director of International Academic Services at the University of Mary Washington.
"There's no answer," Musick said about fending off jet lag. "I've tried about 1,000 things."
Musick recommends drinking plenty of water and staying awake as long as possible when you land to reset your clock.
He advises staying out of the hotel room until it's time for bed on local time. Getting out and exploring is a great way to fend off jet lag when you first arrive, he said.
"If it's cold outside, rolling around in the snow helps," he said, only half-joking.
Local travel agent Margaret Ford, with the Fredericksburg Travel Agency, suggests resting up before you leave and avoiding alcohol on long flights.
Having a hangover when you land in a foreign country can worsen the effects of jet lag.
"It's tempting, because it gets you relaxed," she said.
But alcohol will also dehydrate you while flying. The sleep foundation discourages the use of alcohol and over-the-counter sleep aids in dealing with jet lag.
The simple act of drinking water seems to be critical to avoiding a bad case of jet lag. Niki Hooper, a registered nurse certified in travel medicine and based in Williamsburg, said staying hydrated during the flight is an easy way to combat jet lag.
Hooper's office doesn't recommend sleeping pills, since they don't work for everyone. She said she used to mention Ambien until it was discovered that the pill can cause sleepwalking, which could prove hazardous on a long flight. Benadryl, an over-the-counter drug, makes most people sleepy, she said. But it can also cause headaches.
A commonly used sleeping pill for jet lag and other sleep ailments is Halcion, according to the 2001 edition of the International Travel Health Guide by Dr. Stuart Rose. It is fast acting and has few side effects, according to Rose. But there have been reports of next-day memory loss with the drug.
Some people, even if they take medication, just have a tough time sleeping on planes, Hooper noted.
Other alternativesMelatonin has become a popular way to regulate sleep patterns and help fight jet lag, but it has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is still experimental. Pregnant or breast-feeding women and children should not take melatonin, according to the sleep foundation. Neither the WHO or the sleep foundation recommends using it.
The U.S. military conducted a study of a diet that purportedly can curb jet lag. The Argonne diet alternates feasting and fasting in the days leading up to travel. The study found that the diet was effective in reducing the effects of jet lag in military personnel.
For a trip across six time zones, travelers should start the diet three days before departure. On the first day, a feast day, travelers should eat three full meals. The next day is a fast day--with three small meals--and the third day is another feast day.
Visit antijetlagdiet.com for more information about the diet. For a fee, the company will create a diet tailored to your preferences and travel plans.
Other alternatives include adjusting your body clock to your destination's time before you leave.
While it's helpful, the method has it's drawbacks.
"Most people don't have time for that," said Hooper, the nurse certified in travel medicine. "It's rare that I get someone organized enough to do it."
If you're one of those rare organized people, check out bodyclock.com. The Web site will help you adjust to local time at your destination based on the time difference.
If you're not going to reset your body clock before your trip, Ford's advice to rest up before traveling is sound. Pre-existing sleep deprivation can intensify jet lag symptoms, according to the sleep foundation. That means you should try to take care of all your travel plans and packing early, rather than staying up late the night before your flight.
Every traveler is different, so the WHO recommends that frequent travelers test different methods of coping with jet lag to find out which works best for them.
To reach JENN ROWELL:
Email: jrowell@freelancestar.com
