| There's nothing more aggravating than arriving at | | | | years at Heathrow Airport, 18% of the 61 sudden |
| your destination groggy and red-eyed. Jet lag makes | | | | deaths in long distance passengers were caused by |
| clear thinking difficult, leading to bad decisions at | | | | clots in the lungs." These clots originate in leg veins |
| international business meetings, and recreational | | | | where blood pools and coagulates due to passenger |
| travelers find it detracts from the enjoyment of their | | | | immobility. |
| hard-earned and time-limited vacations. Symptoms | | | | There are many products purported to prevent or |
| include fatigue and general tiredness, inability to sleep | | | | cure jet lag. One of them is melatonin, a hormone |
| at night, loss of concentration, headaches, malaise | | | | produced naturally by the body to produce |
| and disorientation. It is caused by the disruption of | | | | sleepiness. Another product, No-Jet-Lag, has been |
| biological rhythms as a result of rapid transitions | | | | proven effective in a scientific trial of round-the-world |
| across multiple time-zones. Such desynchronization of | | | | passengers and confirmed by longhaul flight |
| circadian rhythms also affects employees who | | | | attendants in a test conducted in cooperation with |
| transfer to night shifts. | | | | their union. Since it is a homeopathic preparation using |
| Preflight preparation isone of the most important | | | | extremely low dosages, No-Jet-Lag has no side |
| aspects of combating jet lag. Before leaving, be sure | | | | effects and is compatible with other medications. |
| you have all your affairs, personal and professional, in | | | | If you plan to use melatonin, it is important to take it |
| order. Avoid late farewell parties, so that you are not | | | | at the right time or it may make matters worse. |
| tired or hungover from a function the night before. | | | | When traveling east, on the day of the flight, take |
| Participate in regular exercise in the days prior to | | | | one dose of melatonin between 6 and 7 p.m. your |
| departure and if possible try to avoid exposure to | | | | time. On the day of arrival and for the next four |
| people with flu or colds. Get a full night of sleep just | | | | days, take a dose of melatonin at bedtime (between |
| prior to departure. | | | | 9 and 10 p.m.) local time of your new location. If you |
| There is evidence that jet lag is less acute on | | | | are on a stopover and will be traveling further east, |
| eastward rather that westward flights, as it is easier | | | | take one dose of melatonin on the day before flying |
| to force oneself to stay up later than normal than it | | | | onward, again between 6 and 7 p.m. local time, |
| is to fall asleep earlier than normal. Daytime flights | | | | instead of at bedtime). On the day of arrival at the |
| cause less jet lag than overnight flights, which is why | | | | final destination, take one dose of melatonin at |
| the latter are called "red-eye" flights. Due to cramped | | | | bedtime (local time) and for the next four days. |
| seating and ambient noise, don't expect to get a | | | | For westward travel, melatonin will not help if you |
| good night's rest on one of these flights. | | | | are going less than five time zones to the west. For |
| Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, since the dry air in | | | | distant westward travel, on the day of arrival, take |
| airplanes causes dehydration. Water is better than | | | | one dose of melatonin at local time bedtime and |
| coffee, tea and fruit juices. Alcoholic drinks are a | | | | continue to do so for the next four days. If you |
| poor choice for combating dehydration, and | | | | wake up before 4 a.m., take a little more melatonin |
| demonstrate a markedly greater intoxicating effect | | | | (half a dose) to get a complete night's sleep. Dissolve |
| when consumed in the rarefied atmosphere of an | | | | this dose under the tongue, if possible, so it will be |
| airliner compared to ground level. | | | | more fast-acting. |
| A blindfold, neckrest or blow-up pillow, and ear plugs | | | | Sleeping pills are not advisable, especially on the plane. |
| can help you get quality sleep while flying. If there | | | | They produce a drugged state which has little in |
| are some spare seats on the flight, lay across them, | | | | common with natural sleep, and suppress natural |
| since it easier to fall asleep laying flat than sitting | | | | body movement, not desirable in a cramped |
| propped up. | | | | environment where the risk of DVTs is already high. |
| Get up and exercise frequently. Walking up and down | | | | Many over-the-counter sleeping pills are |
| the aisle, standing for short periods, and doing | | | | anti-histamines which tend to dehydrate the mucous |
| twisting and stretching exercises in your seat reduces | | | | membranes, creating a parched, sore throat when |
| discomfort from swollen legs and feet, and prevents | | | | combined with the already dehydrating atmosphere |
| potentially deadly Deep Vein Thrombosis. On long | | | | inside the airplane. |
| flights,get off the plane if possible at stopovers, and | | | | Hopefully these tips will help you arrive at your |
| take a short walk around the airport. As far back as | | | | destination awake and energetic. |
| 1988 the Lancet report estimated "that over three | | | | |