{"id":4942,"date":"2015-05-29T11:59:37","date_gmt":"2015-05-29T10:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.doctorfox.co.uk\/news\/?p=4942"},"modified":"2022-02-14T10:57:41","modified_gmt":"2022-02-14T10:57:41","slug":"simple-ways-to-prevent-jet-lag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.doctorfox.co.uk\/news\/simple-ways-to-prevent-jet-lag\/","title":{"rendered":"Simple ways to prevent jet lag"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last updated 14 February 2022<\/small><\/p>

\"preventFrequent travelers are all too familiar with the feeling of jet lag; the extreme fatigue, insomnia at night, digestion problems and trouble concentrating on simple tasks. Whether you are a first time flyer, or about to embark on your first long haul flight, jet lag and its effects on your body can come as a bit of a shock.<\/b><\/p>\n

With the introduction of cheaper flights and the newly increased popularity of travelling to areas of Eastern Asia, such as Thailand, more and more Brits are embarking on long distance holidays.<\/p>\n

Whilst there is no way to fully prevent the effects of jet lag, there are many simple approaches to long distance travelling which can help relieve the symptoms and make your journey more pleasant.<\/p>\n

What is jet lag?<\/h2>\n

Jet lag is the name given to the temporary sleep disorder that occurs when we cross two or more time zones<\/b>. The more time zones you travel through the stronger the effects, and the longer they will last.<\/i><\/p>\n

For many years jet lag was deemed a state of mind, however in recent years, studies have shown that flying through numerous time zones will imbalance our natural biological clock<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Our bodies work on 24 hour cycles called circadian rhythms. These rhythms are measured by distinct rises and falls in body temperature, plasma levels of certain hormones<\/a> such as Melatonin<\/b> and other biological factors, all of which are effected by our exposure to sunlight \u2013 which helps to determine when we sleep and wake.<\/p>\n

When travelling to a new time zone our circadian rhythms can take a while to adjust, meaning our bodies continue to work to our \u201cnormal\u201d biological schedule for several days<\/i>. This, in turn, causes our bodies to tell us to sleep and wake at the incorrect times, for example; wanting to sleep in the middle of the afternoon and struggling to fall asleep in the evenings.<\/p>\n

How jet lagged you feel not only depends on how many time zones you travel through, but also whether you\u2019re travelling East or West. If you\u2019re flying east you can expect jet lag to last a longer amount of time than if you were travelling to the west<\/i>. A 10 hour flight to the east through nine time zones could take you up to eight days to recover from \u2013 which for most people is the entire holiday! Finding solutions to relieve the symptoms of jet lag is often essential to the quality of your holiday.<\/i><\/p>\n

Preventing jet lag<\/h2>\n

From medication to changing your sleeping pattern before you leave for your holiday, there is a whole range of techniques to help you combat jet lag<\/b> and make the most of your trip away<\/a>.<\/p>\n