Jet Lag Prevention

Gigi Starr, Leaf Group

Jet lag hits in ways that can make your trip a nightmare. Fatigue, irritability and nausea combine to overwhelm the whole travel experience, driving the fun out of a long-distance journey. While the symptoms of jet lag are tough to eradicate altogether, it's possible to minimize your suffering by following some smart travel tips.

Symptoms

The most obvious symptom of jet lag is an overwhelming sense of fatigue from jumping across time zones. With this fatigue might come irritability, impatience and other, more personal markers of tiredness. For some, jet lag also triggers feelings of anxiety. Physical symptoms include dehydration, swelling of the feet and ankles, earaches and sweaty palms. Difficulty concentrating and memory loss are two more troubling features.

Time Frame

A traveler will notice jet lag once he's reached his destination. If it's 12 a.m. back home and time for bed, but 6 a.m. where he lands, the traveler will experience jet lag as he attempts to synchronize his body with the new environment and time zone. Circadian rhythms, crucial to the body's digestive, mental, rest and waste disposal functions, are thrown completely off track. From the time of onset, it will usually take the body one day of recovery for each hour variation from his usual time zone.

Prevention/Solution

The best defense is to fight jet lag before it starts. MSNBC advises, "If you are traveling from the East to the West Coast, you're facing a three-hour time change and you should try to adjust your internal clock. Three or four days before you leave, start to stay up a little later than usual, and sleep in a little longer." Fight dehydration by drinking plenty of water and keep active as much as possible. As tempting as a cup of coffee or beer might seem, don't do it. John P. Cunha of MedicineNet writes, "Do not drink alcoholic [or caffeinated] beverages the day before your flight, during your flight, or the day after your flight. These beverages can cause dehydration, disrupt sleeping schedules, and trigger nausea and general discomfort."

Melatonin as a Cure

Melatonin, a popular dietary supplement that is said to improve sleep, is another known jet lag cure, but doctors and specialists advise caution before dosing up with this over-the-counter option. If you choose to take it, make sure that the dosage is low enough not to cause increased fatigue. "For the purpose of treating jet lag, it is suggested that a dose between 0.3 mg and 5 mg of melatonin be taken on the first day you travel at the time you will want to go to sleep at your destination. This should be continued at bedtime for a few days once you are at your destination," Cunha suggests.

Considerations

Jet lag is a natural side effect of long-distance transcontinental flight. Even though it feels awful, it does go away eventually. Leave time to relax after arrival and don't try to pack too much into those first few days. By preparing the body for the time zone change ahead of travel, jet lag is easily minimized. Keep busy, exercise and sleep in a restful, quiet environment, and your body clock will catch up.