Sleep tips
A temporary sleep disorder called jet lag or desynchronosis is also known as jet lag. When your circadian rhythm is out of sync due to travel over multiple time zones, this disorder can occur. Our biological clock, also known as the circadian rhythm, regulates our sleep-wake cycle, and other bodily functions. Jet lag is when your biological clock doesn’t match your time zone.
Although jet lag isn’t a serious condition, it can cause fatigue, mood swings, sleep problems, nausea, difficulty concentrating and gastrointestinal issues. These symptoms can disrupt your vacation and cause disruptions to your sleep.
We will discuss jet lag and what you can do to avoid it in this article.
1. Before You Leave, Adjust Your Schedule
Try to get to bed early when you travel east and to wake up early the mornings before your departure. If you’re flying west, it is a good idea to go to bed later than usual and wake up later.
2. 2.) Sleep On The Plane
This can help to reduce the effects of sleep disorders. To help you sleep better on planes, use an eye mask or earplugs.
3. Keep To Your New Schedule
Your watch should be adjusted to the local time at your destination. You should try to maintain a regular routine once you have arrived. Do not fall asleep on the first night. Instead, try to sleep until 10 p.m. in your time zone. This will speed up the adjustment process.
4. Bright Light Exposure Should Be Controlled
The best way to change your sleeping habits is through natural light exposure. Exposure to natural light at night can be helpful when traveling west. This will allow you to sleep in later and bring your body into synch with the new time zone.
However, if you’re traveling east and are losing time, the exposure to bright light in the morning can inhibit the production of melatonin, prompting you to get up earlier. Jet lag can be avoided by practicing bright light exposure during the days leading to your trip.
5. Get Plenty Of Water
Being hydrated can help prevent or reduce symptoms of jet lag disorder such as dizziness, headaches, and altitude sickness.
What Causes Jet Lag?
Understanding how your biological clock works is the first step to understanding jet lag. Your biological clock regulates the biochemical, physiological and behavioral processes of your body and helps to maintain a normal sleeping cycle.
Melatonin is the key component of your sleep-wake cycle.
The presence of light can influence melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep. Our retinas transmit signals to the brain to stop the production of melanin when artificial or sunlight enters them. Your brain prepares you for sleep when it becomes dark. Your pineal gland is instructed to make melatonin.
Jet lag is more noticeable when you travel across multiple time zones than you would if you traveled in one.
If you fly from Arizona to Chicago by plane, your body will only need to adjust to the one hour difference. If you fly from Arizona to Italy at 11 a.m., your brain will believe it is 11 p.m.
It will be 7 a.m. in Italy. This means that you can go to bed at 7 a.m., while the rest of Italy wakes up to start a new day.
Vacation plans and business trips can be affected by the disconnect between your body’s circadian clock, and the time of the day.
Your suprachiasmatic nucleus is out of sync when you travel over multiple daylight-darkness cycle. Two separate, but connected neuron groups reside in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. One controls deep sleep and one controls REM sleep. If these two processes are not in sync it prevents you from entering a restorative stage.
Jet Lag Symptoms
This sleep disorder is more common when you travel long distances from west to east. You are losing time rather than gaining it. Flying east to west gives you more time for your body to adjust to time zones changes. We have listed the most common symptoms of this disorder below.
- Insomnia
- Sleep disturbances
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Accumulation of sleeping debt
- Stress
- Headaches
- Dehydration
- Frequent flyers could be at risk of altitude sickness if they are not adequately rested
Who Is At Risk?
More people are at risk for developing symptoms than frequent flyers, flight attendants, business travellers, and older adults. Jet lag can be worsened by traveling across time zones and from east to west.
Shift work can also increase your chances of experiencing jetlag and other sleep problems.
What Are The Best Treatments For Jet Lag?
Jet lag is not treatable. However, doctors may recommend light therapy and melatonin.
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- MelatoninThis is a popular sleep aid that can help you fall asleep even if you are not supposed to be. You can adjust faster to your flight by using melatonin, and sleeping at a regular time for your time zone. We do not recommend taking melatonin or any other sleeping pills as they could have side effects. To avoid jet lag symptoms, we recommend other all-natural remedies such as diet modification or light therapy.
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- Light therapyThis can help speed up the process of adjusting to a new time zone. Exposure to light in the evening can lead to a shift in your sleep pattern, which will allow you to adjust to the new time zone.
Bright light exposure in the mornings or afternoons is helpful for travelers to the east. This helps the body adapt to the natural daylight-darkness cycle at your destination.
- DietAnother factor that can help you adjust is your time zone. We recommend that you drink caffeine in the daylight hours if you feel tired. This will allow you to stay awake until it is time for you to go to sleep. Eating protein throughout the day can also counter sleepiness. However, drowsiness can be caused by eating whole grains and other foods that are best for sleeping before bed.
Light therapy combined with a modified diet can be effective in eliminating jet lag symptoms.
Introduction And Conclusion
Jet lag refers to a sleep disorder that occurs when your circadian rhythm does not match your new time zone. Although not very serious, it can make you feel sick or drowsy when you travel for business or pleasure.
We recommend that you plan ahead to avoid symptoms such as jet lag. This includes preparing your body’s circadian rhythms for the shifts in time zones, good sleep hygiene, and following a regular schedule once you arrive at your destination.
We recommend that you keep a journal of your sleep experiences and quality, regardless of where you are. It is easy to keep track of your symptoms and help you identify the best prevention and treatment techniques for this sleep disorder.
