Overseas vacations are great fun, but jet lag can leave you miserable
if you don't take precautions to reduce its impact.
Jet lag occurs when you travel across several time zones in
one day and your internal body clock gets out-of-step with the
time at your destination. The more time zones you cross in a day,
the more likely you are to suffer jet lag, and it's usually worse
when you travel from west to east, says the American Academy of
Family Physicians (AAFP).
Symptoms include sleep problems that can lead to fatigue, difficulty
concentrating, weakness, memory problems, clumsiness and irritability.
Headache, appetite loss and upset stomach are other symptoms of
jet lag.
The AAFP offers some suggestions on how to prevent and treat
jet lag. They include:
- Get enough rest before your trip.
- Drink plenty of water and other beverages to keep you hydrated.
Avoid alcohol or drinks that contain caffeine.
- Adjust your daily routine to the new time schedule at your
destination as soon as possible. That includes meals, sleep
and other activities. You might even start making those schedule
changes before you leave on your trip.
- After you arrive, get outdoors in natural light as much as
possible.
- People who don't have epilepsy or take medicine to prevent
blood clotting can take melatonin -- a dietary supplement --
when they arrive at their destination. Some studies indicate
that small doses of melatonin (5 milligrams or less) taken at
bedtime may decrease jet lag.
- You may get jet lag no matter what you do. Plan your vacation
schedule so you don't try to do too many things for the first
two days of your trip.
More information
The U.S. National Institutes of Health has more about jet
lag.
