| -link"> | | | | speed of light trying to get everything done before |
| Jet lag is a problem for most travelers, whether they | | | | you leave on vacation? Then you have to |
| travel on business or for pleasure. This article offers | | | | packbut before that you must make sure you |
| techniques for dealing with it. | | | | have selected all your wardrobe items and that they |
| Jet Lag! Those two words conjure up that debilitating | | | | are laundered. Quite often you are doing things until |
| feeling of tiredness and confusion that often | | | | late at night, and you don't even get the amount of |
| overtakes us after a long journey, especially across | | | | sleep you usually take. All these activities add to your |
| the ocean. It can rob you of the first one, two or | | | | stress level, which in turn adds to the effects of jet |
| even more days of your overseas visit. If you are on | | | | lag. |
| vacation, you lose a precious chunk of your | | | | Solution: plan ahead as much as possible, enlist the |
| well-earned time off; if you are on business, you | | | | help of family members, go to bed at a reasonable |
| could blow an important deal because your brain | | | | time and get a good night's sleep. |
| wasn't functioning up to par. Jet lagwho needs it? | | | | Many transatlantic flights, for example, are |
| Nobodybut everybody gets it. A Conde Naste | | | | overnight. You leave in the early evening, so you |
| survey showed 93% of longhaul travellers do. A | | | | don't eat dinner before you leave. By the time the |
| survey from New Zealand showed 96% of | | | | flight takes off and the attendants are ready to |
| international flight attendants do. Jet lagwhat | | | | serve, you end up eating dinner at what is normally |
| causes it? | | | | close to your bed time. Most people don't sleep well |
| The biggest cause of jet lag is crossing time | | | | during the flight, and to make matters worse, when |
| zones, particularly from west to eastalthough it | | | | you land on the other side of the ocean you have |
| also happens in the opposite direction. | | | | virtually lost five hours out of your normal sleep time. |
| The atmosphere in jet aircraft contributes in two | | | | Solution: try to take one of the growing number of |
| ways. First, cabin pressure results in air that many | | | | daytime flights. Yes, it's the same amount of flying |
| times more pressurized that what most of us are | | | | time, but experts agree the jet lag effect can be |
| accustomed to on the ground. Second, the air is | | | | much less. |
| often recirculated in the cabin and becomes stale. | | | | Who hasn't felt dried out during a long flight? It's |
| This makes you tired and can even cause headaches. | | | | the dry air on the aircraft. However, drinking alcohol, |
| The majority of adults drink alcohol at some | | | | caffeine or sugary fruit drinks doesn't help, and may |
| point in a long flight, and flying increases the effects | | | | add to the jet leg effect. |
| of alcohol on the body by about 200-300%. So if | | | | Solution: Drink lots of water, preferably the bottled |
| you tend to feel drowsy after a couple of glasses of | | | | kind. Bring your own in your in-flight luggage. |
| wine at home, multiply that effect by three for each | | | | Lack of exercise and sitting in an unnaturally |
| glass you have in-flight and it's not surprising you feel | | | | cramped position (especially in the limited seating |
| sleepy! | | | | space in Economy Class) add to the misery of jet lag. |
| Sitting for the eight to fifteen hours it can take | | | | Solution: learn some exercises you can do while |
| to cross one of the world's larger oceans doesn't | | | | sitting. Twisting and stretching exercises can help |
| help, because it puts extra pressure on your stomach | | | | keep your joints limber. Regardless of how silly you |
| at a time when you are probably eating more often | | | | may feel, do get up and walk up and down the aisle |
| than usual in that period of timethat's because | | | | a few times over the hours. It will help keep your |
| they keep feeding you to pass the time!Altogether, it | | | | feet from swelling, and may decrease the effects of |
| would be surprising if we didn't get jet lag on | | | | jet lag. |
| overseas flights!Jet lagwhat can we do about it? | | | | Don't let jet lag spoil your tripuse all these |
| The time we spend before our flight can have | | | | techniques and fight back! |
| an effect. How often do you run around at the | | | | |