jet lag

[Skithepowder]

What is exactly is jet lag? What are the effects of it? And how long does it take to recover from it? Say i flew back to england from canada how much jet lag would i be likely to get and how long would it take to recover?

[POTTSY52]

best way to get over jet lag if you have the urge to sleep during the day is to ONLY sleep between the hours of 3pm-5pm- trust me it works and then in afew days your back to normal promise.

[Clanad]

Jet lag is a disruption of ones circadian rhythm... Which, simply put, is your personal habit of waking and sleeping.  You're body becomes accustomed to sleeping and being awake at certain times.  This pattern is disrupted when travelling to different time zones, especially when crossing 4 or more time zones in a short period of time.  The effects are being sleepy when everyone else is awake, which often manifests itself in irritability and restlessness.  If remaining in the arrival time zone, the difference will resolve itself in about 3 to 4 days.  The flight time from, say Montreal to London is approximately 8 hours and the time difference would be about 5 hours. The recommended way to overcome the phenomena is to stay awake until the accustomed bed time at your destination and then try to awake and sleep at that time each day.  It shouldn't take long to recover...

[Bangkok]

The rule of thumb is that it takes one day to recover for each hour of time difference after the first three.  So if the time difference was six hours, it would take three days to get into sync.

It helps to avoid alcohol (no chance) and coffee when flying and to plan your sleeping patterns on the place to feel tired at nighttime at your destination.

[5029]

The best jet lag cure I've ever tried is melatoning - take it an hour before you go to bed and it makes your body think it is time to sleep.  Wonderful stuff

[morg_monster]

I think it depends on the time of the flight, because I think it is easier to stay awake than try to go to sleep early. I just got back from a weeks holiday to NY, which is 5 hours difference. We had an afternoon flight out, leaving london at 18.40 and arriving in NY at about 9.30pm. By the time we got to where we were staying it was past 11, obviously v tired so straight to bed, woke up about 8am and no jet lag.
Coming back, again a day flight, had to get up at 5am for an 8.30am flight, by the time we got home in the UK it was 9pm, so just time for a meal and catch up on the news and felt ready for bed since we'd got up so early... set the alarm for 9.30am and again no jet lag, brilliant.

(I know 5 hours is not a massive difference... but the theory is there... I think the best flights are if you can reasonably go to bed soon after you arrive!)

I think things are also easier if you don't lie in late.... even though it feels horrible at the time!

[Bob A Job]

What most people dont understand about 'jet lag' is that its not just the feeling tired part.

Our body is used to a daily routine, eating, drinking, sleeping, working, relaxing, playing. all of these activities use different different bodily organs. To conserve energy the body slows down activity in dormant parts of the body, and these process's become clockwork.

A result of this is that when we arrive in a different timezone our body clock will be out of sinc, we feel hungry just before bed, need to go to the toilet in the middle of the night etc. etc.

Our minds can get used to 'jet lag' time changes in about 36 hours but the internal organs can be hungover for up to a week.

 

TOP TIPS 

Get your body ready for the journey before you leave, I.E. if your destination's timezone is 3hrs in front - get 1 hr up earlier.

Dont eat a heavy meal before the flight, Airplane food may be small but its designed for comfort and nutrition.

When you arrive try and settle into a routine as soon as possible, it will lessen the confusion to your body.

Eat some of the local yoghurt first thing in the morning. it wakes up your stomach and reduces the chance of the 'Trots'.

Try to relax as much as possible at the airport.

I know its sad, but. I strongly recomend NO alcohol on the first night.