JET LAG
JET LAGThe most common bothersome effects of jet lag result from the jostling of the body's biological clock. Symptoms include irritability, loss of concentration, dehydration, depression, indigestion and fatigue. They can persist over several days or even weeks, depending on the number of time zones crossed.
Seasoned travellers exercise the following precautions:
- When travelling eastwardly, retire one or two hours early the night before departure. For westward travel, retire an hour or two later than usual.
- Take nightime flights and sleep during the voyage.
- Do isometric exercises in the airline seat during flight, before getting up. Stroll up and down the aisle at least once during the flight to avoid muscule cramps.
- Avoid coffee and alcohol in flight. They cause dehydration and pressurized cabin air is already extremely dry. It is preferable to drink water, or unsweetened fruit juice.
- Upon arrival, avoid going to bed immediately. Rather, do some physical exercise and adapt immediately to local meal and bedtimes.
- Business travellers should never schedule an important meeting the day of their arrival.
- Set watches to the destination time zone at the time of boarding the flight.
- On the occasion of a very short stay overseas, stay on the regular "home time zone", eating and sleeping as if having never left. The biological clock is thus not upset at all.
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