One of the concepts that has always intrigued me is that of ‘jet lag’. So, I did a little research to see if we would be affected by it when we fly back to the UK on Tuesday.
It is apparently worst when you fly East thereby ‘losing time’. It happens as a result of your body’s natural circadian rhythm being disrupted with the main symptom being sleepiness.
The symptoms can include:
- sleepiness
- delayed response time
- irritability
- difficulty concentrating
- anxiety
- constipation or diarrhea
- headache
- nausea
- sweating and
- coordination difficulty…phew!
Some of the best ways to handle it are:
- To adjust your sleep pattern by one hour every couple of days so that you’re close to the new time zone by the time you fly. Try to sleep on the plane as opposed to working.
- Taking melatonin as a supplement is a great way to help your circadian rhythm re-adjust.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol as these interrupt sleep patterns.
- Wear comfortable clothing that’s loose and comfortable.
- Keeping hydrated is key, so drink lots of water.
- Keep to the natural day/night pattern. So, if you’re travelling overnight then sleep and if travelling during the day then stay awake.
- Change your watch to the new time zone as soon as you get on the plane.
- Take a hot bath before sleep which relaxes the muscles
So, essentially, I should have gone to bed about 4 hours ago! 🙂 Goodnight!
—————————–
If you’d like to share any of the images or the journey with your friends on Facebook or Twitter, then just click the links below. Comment and share with us, too.
Sleep well and see you tomorrow
Lisa
61 day journey 