Jet Lag Cures

[Tim Ingersoll]

I am going from Rochester, NY to Palau in February, 2006. I don't want to be dehabilitated by jet lag either coming or going. Anyone got any good jet lag cures?

 

[Bobby]

The only thing that I have found to work is set my watch on the way out and sleep going east then not sleep going west. Not the best advice but it is the only way I have been able to function when traveling long distances.

 

[detroit diver]

There is a diet routine which supposedly makes a great difference in the way you feel. I don't remember what it's called, but do a Google search and I'm sure you'll come up with it.

 

[Hank49]

I used to fly Manila-Cincy-Manila a few times per year. For some reason going west never bothered me. Coming back east was a killer. It's like one long day going west. It's like 2 coming into the sun. So, you should be fine diving Palau, just schedule two days' rest upon return.

 

[mempilot]

On long flights, remember to drink a lot of water. The air that is recirculated through the cabin is very dry. People who drink a lot of coffee, tea, or soda on these long flights tend to feel the effects of jet lag much more. Do your sleeping in short naps. Sleep for a couple of hours, and then stay up for a couple of hours. Then repeat. In between 'naps', get up and move about. Walk the plane to get the blood flowing again. It sounds silly, but move to a galley area and stretch a little. You will be neither be too tired, nor too awake when you reach your destination. The time to get accustomed to the new time zone will be a little less.

I used to fly 2 + 8 hours to get to training. This helped me quite a bit.

 

[simbrooks]

Drink water and sleep a bunch. Even if my clock is a little screwed up i find the sleep at any time during the flight helps to put me back in shape. I agree dont sleep much going west, but of course you dont have much time to sleep going east (depending on flight length). Never really had much of an issue with jet lag in the few times i have done major shifts (3+ hours), then driven for a few hours once i got to my destination - due to a few hours sleep on my way, but of course that evening was a little rough and long

 

[Walter]

The only thing that I have found to work is set my watch on the way out and sleep going east then not sleep going west.

Interesting, I do the opposite. "East is least and west is best." Works for me.

 

[knotical]

As a former rotating-shift worker and frequent traveler, this has been a common concern to me. There is lots of stuff on the internet. A couple of the better sites (IMO) are:

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/publications/travel.cfm

http://www.sleepdisorderchannel.net/jetlag/treatment.shtml

 

[baltimoron]

I fly four times a year to Israel and back, but jet lag doesn't really debilitate me much anymore. Usually, try to aim for a flight that will get you to your destination in the morning. Then, keep yourself busy for the whole day. Don't drink too much coffee, but lots of water. Getting in at night just makes things worse for me, because if you slept any on the plane, you'll spend the night awake- bad habit. When you are in your destination, just hit the ground running.

No matter how hard you try, your body will always be a little slow to catch up. Give it a day or so before and after to get you straight, and you will be alright.

Just my pennyworth.

 

[BigJetDriver]

On long flights, remember to drink a lot of water. The air that is recirculated through the cabin is very dry. (NOTE: Much drier than most people even suspect!) People who drink a lot of coffee, tea, or soda on these long flights tend to feel the effects of jet lag much more. Do your sleeping in short naps. Sleep for a couple of hours, and then stay up for a couple of hours. Then repeat. In between 'naps', get up and move about. Walk the plane to get the blood flowing again. It sounds silly, but move to a galley area and stretch a little. You will be neither be too tired, nor too awake when you reach your destination. The time to get accustomed to the new time zone will be a little less.

I used to fly 2 + 8 hours to get to training. This helped me quite a bit.

As someone who flies across time zones from Japan to the U.S. to the Middle East on a weekly basis (sometimes daily), I can tell you that the the tips above are about the best you can do.

You cannot completely mitigate the effects of jet-lag. It is truly a result of resetting your circadian rythym. That just takes time. But you can lessen those effects to some extent. Try the suggestions above, as well as this: limit what you eat on-board and during your flight day to a light snack. Include fruit if you can. And drink, drink, drink.....WATER.

P.S.---Take vitamins on a regularr basis. It does help!

Rob Davie