Here's my own experience and tips for Beating jet lag
Jet lag is not just feeling a little tired after a long trip. It is more like a viral infection that needs to run its course. Side effects range from mild to severe. Lack of sleep while visiting a different country can cause deep discomfort and a foggy mind. It can ruin your vacation. At least the first days
Sleep deprivation for even a few days can creates a sense of confusion, a state of discomfort and weakness that can make you vulnerable, anxious and sick
Traveling at jet speeds across multiple time zones will throw your circadian rhythm out of sync. One hour for every time zone, to be precise. Traveling from San Francisco to Paris is eight time zones! Good job, you just inverted your sleep/awake internal clock. Now, deal with it.
To make matters worse, you’re in a new place where everything is unusual to you: language, food, and people, to name a few. Sleep deprivation combined with all these added stresses can produce feelings of dysphoria. In simple and plain English: You feel like crap.
In severe cases, jet lag can cause tachycardia (fast heartbeat) and serious anxiety attacks for some anxiety-prone people. Because when you desperately need relief, you can’t get it. Only the passing of time will restore your sleep /awake balance.
There is no cure for jet lag. Understanding what’s happening to your body can help a lot. But here are my own best tips for beating jet lag.
Think of jet lag in this way
Imagine a pendulum swinging from one side to the other. At one end, you feel drowsy, at the other, you feel awake. Imagine this pendulum on top of a clock. An 8-hour jet lag will turn the clock upside down. So what was once 12 is not 6. How does the body go back and correct itself?
It takes time, and it happens in increments. More precisely, one hour a day. At first, you’ll feel 100% awake at your usual sleep time and the most drowsy at your wake-up time.
But as the days pass, you’ll notice that this pattern starts moving. One hour a day until your wake and sleep time are restored.
What can you do to minimize jet lag side effects
#1 Don’t get upset
Getting upset and hopeless about not sleeping is the worst thing you can do. Don’t worry; you’ll be sleeping soon. If you worry and get upset, you’ll not sleep even without jet lag.
#2 Use the buffer zone
Remember that your capacity for sleep is right there; you didn’t lose it. It is just that it is upside down. If you’re tired, return to your original timing and sleep briefly.
The first few days of your trip, you are so tired you’ll get some sleep at night, and you’ll think you beat jet lag. But as soon as you get used to things, you’ll start having sleepless nights. Take long naps when you feel drowsy. Sleep at 9 PM or even 4 PM. Sleep as much as you want. But remain on track to normalize your sleep pattern. Every trip is different, so take this advice with a grain of salt.
#3 Take Melatonin
Melatonin is a natural hormone and not a sleeping pill. It releases, guesses what? Melatonin and that is the hormone that makes you drowsy. Taking melatonin fools your body into thinking it’s night.
With melatonin, less is more. Take 1mg or even half mg. If you take too much, it can make you very drowsy the next day.
The trick is to begin to feel drowsy before you jump in bed. Take one pill about two hours before you plan to go to bed.
#4 Passionflower extract
I love this herb extract for its anti-anxiety properties. One factor that could be in the mix of not being able to sleep is a little bit of anxiety.
Being in a new situation in a different country, faced with having to think on your feet and you don’t speak the language. Some people are anxious, and nervousness does not help them to fall asleep.
Take about half dropper or a full one. It also takes about one hour to have effects. Passion Flower extract will leave you less drowsy in the morning than melatonin.
#5 Fasting
Fasting has been known to affect and regulate sleep. I recommend you have a good hearty breakfast and then eat only eat again at 7–8 PM (dinner). When you do eat, eat a lot but then stay longer periods without eating. However, that is a tough order. Fasting while you’re on vacation. Good luck with that. But if you can…do it.
Final thoughts
This is my 4th trip to Europe from California, and I’ve learned a few things.
Yoga poses can bring things to balance as well. Start practicing yoga at home and during your trip.
Alcohol and coffee are not your friends when it comes to jet lag. But that is another hard one to adopt.
One sure way to completely avoid jet lag is to stay awake at night and sleep during the day for one week before you travel. But that is difficult to do unless you are a nurse and work at night.
Jet lag is worst when you travel west to east.
Going back home should be easier. Your body will adapt to your old pattern faster than the other way around.
Good luck
References
Jet lag: trends and coping strategiesUnderstand Jet Lag and how to Minimize it’s Side Effects
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