Jet lag - whats the secret cure?

[simongr]

• Travel on daytime flights arriving at destination in early evening

Perversely about 80% of my long haul flights are night flights as they schedule more effectively to minimise my trips away.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Now in Amsterdam and feeling quite good this morning; it really depends on the person and how well your body copes with jetlag. In the past I used to get really tired and couldn't shake it but now I get a 20 minute block of tiredness that I can overcome and then I am awake again.

 

[MatF]

Flying MEL-LHR in 3 weeks time, arriving into LHR at ~ 06:30.

I think we'll just try to stay up and have as much of a normal day as possible, and get as exhausted as we can for that evening.

 

[JohnK]

You are obviously far better off than most everyone else then John

That is debatable!

Notably, the question of jet lag generally arises when people are travelling for work rather than leisure - you are far more relaxed for a start. I don't have the option of going to bed at 0430 or sleeping in as I have commitments to my company as well as my customers whom I represent, and they pay a very high penalty if I screw up, so obviously this can't be allowed to happen.

I have worked in SE Asia on a number of trips between 2003-2005.

First night usually do not get in to hotel until ~2:00am-3:00am due to the location of the factories. Get to sleep by around 3:30am and up at 7:00am for the mini-bus to take us to work. Go out everynight and sleep late and the next day wake up at the same time. On one trip I did close to 100 hours in 7 days and one day it was 20 hours straight.

When I get back to SYD after 5-10 days I am extremely tired and sleep in the morning until mid-afternoon. This also happens with my holidays.

Some people may call this jetlag. Perhos they are right.

 

[Sprucegoose]

Flying MEL-LHR in 3 weeks time, arriving into LHR at ~ 06:30.

I think we'll just try to stay up and have as much of a normal day as possible, and get as exhausted as we can for that evening.

That's the way I would do it. You can also cycle in a few days before as well to try to align to local time.

Any stopovers planned?

 

[MatF]

Not on the way over, unfortunately (well, 3hrs in SIN) - a stopover would have been nice.

2 days in HKG on the way back though, slumming it in the Intercontinental Grand Stanford

 

[Stamp Out Jet Lag]

I think of jet lag as a change in which puts your body settings at variance with the actual environment. It is as if the conductor of an orchestra suddenly dropped or added half a beat and every player has to find their way to the new rhythm. It might sound bit strange for a while.

Acupressure is a time-honored way to alter body settings. There are a number of acupressure methods available and I find the approach works. No drugs or forced staying awake are required, so that's nice.

 

[Justinf]

I suffer from two types of jetlag, the exhausted one and the insomnia one. I once arrived at Toronto from Melbourne and did not sleep for three days! Sounds great but it was hell.
I find if you arrive at your destination in the morning, then some form of excercise helps. A light jog usually keeps me refreshed and able to stay awake until bedtime. But even a good walk helps.
Sleep on planes does not work for me, because it's not real sleep. Excessive alcohol consumption is obvious a no-no, but for me, getting mildly drunk while watcing a movie at 38,000ft is part of the fun.
Last time I travelled to LA, we arrived at 5pm and I was fine. Slept that night and woke up the next day like nothing had happened. Other times, it has taken me days to get over it.
I guess you just have to hope for the best, but my best advice would be to do some liught excercise if you arrive in the morning.

 

[JohnCarrWestwood]

Flying East from OZ to USA ( thats LAX and on to Nashville) , I cat nap on the plane and take a No doze ( caffeine) to keep me going until about 10pm local time then hit the sack. It works quite well.
Total time elapsed 29 hours with a cat naps on the plane, from waking in Melbourne was 4 hours in Tulla check in and waking in hotel , 15 hours on the plane to Lax plus another 2 in Lax then 4 hours to Nashville then another 4 hours before bed .
Enough movies etc on a 380 to keep you awake most of the trip .

2 weeks later Flying on from NYC to Birmingham UK via Dublin about 9 or 10 hours in total...leaving 6pm and arriving about 7am local time was not an issue as long as we kept physically occupied.
Watching tv or sitting around quietly chatting brought on sleep mode

Next trip we are going to UK and back to Melbourne in the opposite direction That will be interesting

 

[jb747]

After a while you get used to it....you feel terrible all of the time, and that simply becomes your new normal.

Having not flown for a while now, I feel wonderful..and it really puts into perspective just how bad that 'normal' is.

 

[rhjames]

Sleeping tablets - Stilnox works nicely for me, but I know a few people who get "hangovers" from it.

I never take sleeping pills on a site, but at my destination, if I'm still awake at midnight, I take a Stilnox. It takes about an hour to work, then parfect sleep for about 6 hours. Warning - during that hour, don't send any Emails or make phone calls. I sent an Email once, and when I read it next morning, it was nonsense.

 

[rhjames]

I sometimes fly to Europe, arriving late morning, and go direct to a meeting. Even though I've slept on the plane, the eyes may start to drop at about 3pm. At that stage, I excuse myself, find a quiet office, and put my head down for about half to one hour (don't get too comfortable). After that I'm right to go for another few hours. It's better than falling asleep and being totally non-productive in the meeting, and when explained, people understand. Note, I would never attempt this after flying economy.

My other tip is, if you find yourself in bed still awake at midnight after a long flight, take a sleeping pill.

 

[JohnCarrWestwood]

IMO better to use something to stay awake rather than knock out drops

J

 

[rhjames]

IMO better to use something to stay awake rather than knock out drops

J

I can't agree. The body wants to sleep for a reason. My policy is to oblige it.

One more tip - during the day, expose yourself to lots of sunlight if possible - helps the body adjust its chemistry.

 

[Rebekkap]

I swear by Valerian as natural sleep remedy - useful both on the plane and off and no groggy hangover like prescription meds

Weird, I find it gives me a far worse hangover than prescription meds - no hangover at all from temezepan, which is what I'd take for jetlag.

However, I do the watch thing - set it to destination time as soon as you board the plane and eat/sleep according to destination - combined with (if arriving in the morning) not eating at all the second leg of a long haul flight, and then eating a high-protein breakfast as soon as I arrive.

There is some science behind this: Starving yourself may fend off jet lag › News in Science (ABC Science)

(I find 12-14 hours of starvation is enough, you don't really need 16).

Sunlight also helps reset the light-sensitive cells in your body. And not overdoing the caffeine - I have a couple of coffees in the morning and then don't drink any in the afternoon.

 

[jimmyinoz]

My daughter examined jetlag for her thesis about 15 years ago. She had fellow students doing different things, but I reckon most was overtaken by drinking! Anyway she told me there was sufficient evidence to suggest the body clock changes quickest by absorbing sunlight through your eyes.
Now I make a point of being out in the sunshine as soon as I return from overseas. Easier in Oz, but a problem if you go to UK this time of year!!

Jimmyinoz

 

[johnevans7]

I think the remedy is daylight and lots of it.

The body knows when it should be active (the job I think of the Pineal gland) and when it should be sleeping.

Get up as early in the morning as you can at your destination, and let your body and daylight do the rest.

 

[grozzy]

I also agree with sunlight as the major factor. Get as much as you can at your destination. Also, go to sleep with the curtains open so your body knows when dawn is.

 

[hopes]

Jet lag - the answer

As I get older I am finding it increasingly difficult to manage Jet lag. Particulary on long haul travelling East to West. Ive tried everything:

- no coffee or tea before during or after travel
- same with alcohol
- same with alcohol, coffee and tea
- sleeping pills on the flight (makes everything much worse a few days later)
- working at night and sleeping during the day for a week before travelling. (This has the added effect of being viewed as a bit weird by those close to you)

I just don't believe anyone who says it doesn't affect them.

How do pilots cope?

Any ideas would be v welcome.

 

[munitalP]

Re: Jet lag - the answer

theres a thread already open on this subject you can find here

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....uestions/jet-lag-whats-secret-cure-26478.html