Frequent fliers - those who take to the sky either for business, pleasure, or a little of both – may notice that the discomfort air travel can bring doesn’t always end when the plane reaches the tarmac. Lurking in the crevices of the overhead compartment, or maybe on your tray table, it pops out the second you reach your destination. Leaving you tired, irritable, and generally feeling “out of it,” jet lag can ruin a plane ride quicker than the airline food.
Jet lag, in scientific terms, is the physiological condition that is caused with the circadian rhythm, or the 24-hour cycle, undergoes changes. Often blamed on airplane travel, jet lag can also be a result of working different shifts, day light savings, or anytime a person’s light and dark cycle is disrupted.
When the blame of plane travel is warranted, it’s not the length of the flight that is the deciding factor: it is the distance traveled east to west. Flying north to south in the same meridian will never cause as much jet lag as going from coast to coast. In short, the likelihood of jet lag increases with the amount of time zones crossed. Crossing numerous time zones disrupts the body’s typical pattern, causing people to be ready for bed or for dinner during hours that don’t coincide with the actual time. Someone who travels from New York to California may find themselves ready to call it a night at seven p.m.
The impact of jet lag varies from person to person: some people can recover from it relatively quickly, while others might find themselves symptomatic for days. They may feel dehydrated, with no appetite, susceptible to headaches and sinus problems, tired, irritable, unable to sleep, and dazed and confused.
Luckily for the person who flies, not to mention the people who have to pick them up from the airport, the moodiness and grogginess of jet lag is preventable, at least to a point. To begin, something as simple as taking a nap on the plane can be the first step in attempting to realign your body; if sleeping isn’t entirely possible, then relaxing to the music of your i-Pod is the next best thing. Even this, with turbulence and the token three year-old kicking the back of your seat throughout the flight, might not be feasible. For this reason, other options must be explored.
These options can be found in your choice of drink: staying hydrated, and staying away from both caffeine and alcohol, can also help reduce jet lag. Some people have even found that preparing for jet lag before you set foot on a plane is the key: if they know they are going to a destination that is two hours earlier than the place they call home, they adjust to the change ahead of time. For example, a few days before they fly, they may get up two hours earlier, or go to bed two hours later. Jet lag can also be decreased simply by staying healthy: exercise and a balanced diet can keep it at bay.
For the frequent flier, and even the infrequent flier, jet lag may just come with the territory. Up there with lost luggage and delayed flights, jet lag is part of flying. Taking a few preventative measures, however, may help keep it from taking flight.