| Whether you are flying for business or | | | | just plain boring, fruit juice and herbal |
| pleasure, jet lag can seriously impair your | | | | teas will do. |
| performance and holiday fun for days. | | | | |
| | | | 2.If you are due to land in the morning at |
| Jet lag occurs when the body's rhythms are | | | | your destination, try to sleep during the |
| out of sync with your destination time - the | | | | flight. Sleeping on board a plane in cramped |
| body operates on a 24-hour cycle, and | | | | conditions isn't easy but take off your shoes |
| travelling to a different time zone alters | | | | and try to get comfortable. Take an eye mask |
| the body's natural rhythm causing jet lag. | | | | and ear plugs with you to help block out |
| The more time zones you cross the worse it | | | | cabin distractions and a blow up neck rest |
| can be and travelling east generally has a | | | | should add to your comfort. Even if you are |
| greater affect on jet lag than travelling | | | | unable to sleep throughout the flight, just |
| west. It is easier on the body's biorhythms | | | | try to rest, close your eyes and try to |
| to add a few extra hours to the day, as in | | | | 'switch off'. |
| travelling west, than reducing the number of | | | | |
| hours in a day when travelling east. The | | | | 3.If you are due to land at night, try to |
| speed with which your body can realign itself | | | | stay awake throughout the flight. Read a |
| to your new time zone, adjusting its body | | | | book, listen to some music but try to resist |
| rhythm to daylight, darkness, eating and | | | | sleeping as this will mean you will be unable |
| sleeping in the new time zone, affects the | | | | to sleep destination time and take longer for |
| length of time you experience jet lag for. | | | | your body clock to adjust. |
| | | | |
| Jet lag can cause any or all of the following | | | | 4.Set your watch to your destination time as |
| symptoms: | | | | soon as you get on the plane and try to live |
| | | | by it straight away. Try to eat at times |
| - Fatigue and lethargy | | | | appropriate to your destination time not |
| | | | departure time. |
| - Insomnia | | | | |
| | | | 5.Some people reduce the impact of time zone |
| - Disorientation | | | | changes by gradually adapting their routine |
| | | | by an hour or so a few days before they |
| - Swollen hands and feet | | | | travel. By getting up an hour earlier or |
| | | | staying up later for a few days prior to |
| - Headaches | | | | departure depending on their destination |
| | | | time. |
| - Digestive problems | | | | |
| | | | 6.If you arrive in the daytime, try to avoid |
| - Irritability or anxiety | | | | the temptation to sleep, get outside in the |
| | | | sunshine. Daylight, or any light, is a major |
| - Lack of concentration | | | | factor in resetting your internal clock. If |
| | | | you are exhausted and have to sleep try to |
| - Loss of appetite and nausea | | | | limit a nap to one hour - set an alarm clock |
| | | | or your mobile phone to wake you. |
| - Dehydration. | | | | |
| | | | 7.If you arrive at night and don't feel |
| It is often thought that it takes a day to | | | | sleepy, try a warm bath and a glass of warm |
| recover for each time zone travelled through | | | | milk - a natural sleep inducer. |
| - this is great news for travellers on a | | | | |
| week's holiday or a business traveller on a | | | | 8.Resist the urge to party all night for the |
| three day conference halfway across the | | | | first couple days and get a couple of good |
| world! | | | | nights' sleep. This should help you get you |
| | | | adjust your body clock to your destination |
| So what can you do to minimise the affects of | | | | time and make for a more enjoyable stay. |
| jet lag? The following tips are designed to | | | | |
| help you avoid the worst of jet lag and | | | | There is no miracle cure for jet lag, but by |
| realign your body clock as soon as possible. | | | | following the above tips you should minimise |
| | | | the effects of jet lag at your destination, |
| 1.Drink plenty of water, avoiding alcohol and | | | | and don't forget to use the above tips for |
| caffeine. Water is best but, if you find | | | | your return too. |
| drinking large amounts of water difficult or | | | | |