Answers from somnologists.
If you often fly long distances, you probably know the price of such flights. The change of time zones leads to sleep problems, fatigue, lack of energy and even indigestion. Health problems against this background often ruin travelers’ plans and deprive the first days in a new place. And that’s not all.
somnologist
When a person flies several time zones away from his usual place, he finds himself in a place where the change of day and night goes differently. The body gets lost.
What is jetlag?
Jetlag is the temporary disruption of a person’s circadian rhythms due to the rapid change of time zones during air travel. Circadian rhythms are processes in the body that occur cyclically with a periodicity of about 24 hours. This includes the sleep/wake cycle or, simply put, the internal alarm clock that tells us when to sleep and wake up.
Roman: The body gets used to sleeping at night and being awake during the day. And if a person flies several time zones away from his usual place, he finds himself in a place where the change of day and night is different – earlier or later, depending on whether it is east or west. At this point, a mismatch occurs: the body gets lost and does not understand when it is night and day and when it should want to sleep. Hence, this is where jetlag comes from.
Recognize this phenomenon by the following symptoms:
- daytime sleepiness;
- insomnia at night;
- early awakening;
- physical fatigue;
- fatigue;
- significant decrease in performance;
- gastrointestinal disorders (decreased appetite, stool disorders, nausea);
- frequent nocturnal urination.
Circadian rhythms are more than just the change of sleep and wakefulness. The gastrointestinal tract and kidneys also work differently at night and during the day. Hence such varied symptoms.
MD, expert in cardiology, somnology and biogerontology
In general, the prognosis of jetlag can be considered relatively favorable. It usually represents a temporary inconvenience that goes away on its own after a few days. But in frequent air travelers, this syndrome can become chronic and lead to such consequences as asthenia (physical and neuropsychiatric weakness), general malaise, reduced physical ability to work, appetite, the development of depression.
How to fight jetlag?
Agree, it is unlikely that a person makes long-distance flights just for nothing. He flies for the sake of work or rest. No one wants the quality of both to suffer because of time zone changes, and unfortunately, it does.
Here’s how you can deal with it:
- if you’re going to be traveling, start preparing in advance – go to bed or get up earlier or later, depending on the time at your destination;
- give up alcohol three days before your flight;
- avoid early morning flights. Once on the plane, change your watch immediately;
- drink more water on the plane, walk around the cabin;
- if you arrive in the evening local time, try not to sleep on the plane;
- after arrival, immediately start living according to local time: stay awake during the day and sleep at night;
- if you have insomnia at night during the first few days, do not force yourself to sleep. Go to bed when you feel sleepy and try to get up at the “right” time (morning local time);
- open the curtains immediately upon waking or go out into the sun;
- wear sunglasses or move to a room with limited light two hours before bedtime;
- open the windows early in the east and later in the west;
- The somnologist also recommends taking one melatonin tablet before bedtime the night before departure and for 2-5 days after arrival.
Татяна: When traveling for a short period of time, you can keep the same sleep and wakefulness regime, which is usual for the time zone of residence. It is best to choose a flight with arrival at the destination in the afternoon and go to bed no later than 23:00 local time. If it will be night or early morning, you can sleep on the plane. It is advisable to use earplugs, eye mask, neck pillow, sleeping pills. Sleep deprivation after an overnight flight can be reduced by a short daytime nap in the first couple of days after arrival.
In general, in a new place it is better to start living in accordance with the new time, and then jetlag will pass by itself.