Oh My–Am I Ever Sleepy
Traveling across various time zones can wreak havoc with your vacation if you don’t take a few minutes and study up on how to handle jet lag. Jet lag is a relatively new term because flight across time zones didn’t become a reality until the 20th Century. Going from New York to London on a ship a passenger had some place they could stretch out and rest. Ocean travel has its’ own set of issues but the phenomenon known as “jet lag” is not one of them, although there may still be some change in the body clock.
Dry atmospheres in airline cabins can cause dehydration. Altitude and pressure changes at each landing and takeoff also upset body systems, and although airliner cabins are pressurized, these changes can cause jet lag. So, drink a lot of liquid to counter the effects.
Frankly, I have my own way of working with jet lag. It may not work for everyone but might be helpful for some. First of all, I learned to take a leaf out of the books of other travelers, and did my best to be rested before starting the trip. Jet lag really becomes a problem when I travel coast to coast or overseas. If a trip takes me to Europe or Asia I try to plan an intermediate stop and take a few days to rest up before tackling the rest of the trip. However, that is not always possible especially for business travelers or if someone is short on funds.
Over the years I have traveled a lot to Europe for business and religious reasons. I do try to sleep on the planes, dressing as comfortable as possible. Instead of any sleep medications I take along something like some sort of tea or homeopathic remedy that encourages sleep and relaxation. It is best not to take any over the counter sleep aids or medications to use just prior to the flight. A passenger needs to be aware enough to handle an emergency. A mild relaxing tea is going to allow that. Save the stronger items for use at your destination. When I arrive at my hotel the first thing I do is lie down and take a nap. It doesn’t have to be very long. Mine is about two hours. Then I proceed through the rest of the day. Try to make flight arrangements so that you arrive during the day instead of late at night. It’s safer and there is more time to begin adjusting to the time change. The next day I try to get right out and make an attempt to fit into the flow of the new time zone. Sometimes, it is a bit of a push, but by the time you arrive back at the hotel you are ready to sleep. This is where other types of sleeping aids can come in handy. It normally takes me about two days to really adapt to the new time frame.
Here are some other tips from experts who have studied jet lag.
1. Sleep on the plane, and do use earplugs to shut out noise and eyeshades to shut out light. Pack a good neck pillow that can be folded up.
2. Take along some good warm socks or knitted slippers. Feet and legs tend to swell on a flight. Keeping your feet warm will help.
3. Dress warmly. I usually wear a pullover shirt with long sleeves over my blouse.
4. Avoid alcohol to keep from being dehydrated.
5. I do not put sugar in my decaffeinated coffee on a flight because it can cause dehydration. Also, limit your intake of salt or just don’t use it.
6. Try to get some exercise if you can on a flight. It will actually help with the jet lag problem and help you adjust to a new climate. There are special exercises you can do while sitting. On a long flight it is a good policy to find some way to exercise because Deep Vein Thrombosis can set in. This is a condition which has been tagged “Economy Class Syndrome” by some travel writers. The condition normally doesn’t affect most people, but a lot of airlines do warn passengers about it in their literature.
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