jet lag pills

Jet Lag - A Natural Approach

jet lag remedies

What is jet lag?

At its simplest, jet lag is a very common sleep disorder suffered by millions of travelers each day. It affects both those people traveling for pleasure and on business and, in a recent survey of international business travelers, three quarters of those questioned said that they often suffered from jet lag.

Jet lag affects people of all ages and, although it varies widely from individual to individual, it tends to be more severe the older you get.

Further, if you already have a problem sleeping, you are likely to find that jet lag is more of a problem.

Jet lag also increases as you cross a growing number of time zones. If the difference in time between your point of departure and your destination is merely an hour or two, then you may not experience jet lag at all. However, if the difference in time is three hours or more then jet lag will begin to appear and its effects will become more and more pronounced the bigger the time difference.

Finally, jet lag symptoms don't always appear immediately and, for some individuals, it may well be two or three days before it hits.

Jet lag remedies

Jet lag is a symptom, or set of symptoms, rather than a specific disease or condition and, as such, has no particular cure. The secret therefore lies in putting together a jet lag management plan, permitting you to bring down its effects both in terms of time and severity.

However, before doing this we should look at a few of the often quoted 'cures' for jet lag and lay a few myths to rest.

• Diet.
  
  Despite claims to the contrary, there is no scientific evidence that "jet lag diets" work and it's probable that any benefits claimed are purely psychological - the placebo effect. Also, "jet lag diets" are typically complex and, to say the least, tedious to follow.

• Over the Counter Medication.
  
  As a genral rule, over the counter medication will do nothing to cure jet lag. This said, if you find yourself suffering from headaches in the late afternoon or evening then the use of Tylenol PM or Excedrin PM might well help. Both of these are forms of well known painkillers but also contain mild soporifics.

• Sleeping Pills.
  
  The first port of call for most people with sleeping troubles is commonly the bottle of sleeping pills and, while these can be useful in certain circumstances, their use is not normally advisable.
  
  The largest problem with sleeping pills is that they're designed for short-term use to counter specific sleeping difficulties and they do this by causing a 'false' state of sleep.
  
  In the case of jet lag you want to get your body back to its normal sleeping pattern as fast and effortlessly as you can and utilizing sleeping pills will give you temporary relief, but will, in the last analysis, delay your recovery.
  
  Having said this, if you are 'climbing the walls' and feel that you do need this short-term relief, then here are just a few guidelines to follow:

• Jet Lag Formulas.
  
  You can buy a variety of 'over the counter' tablets intended specifically to deal with jet lag. However, there's no evidence to show that any of these tablets do any good.
  
  The majority are made from a mix of vitamins and amino acids, or homeopathic preparations which are thought to 'reset your biorhythms'. This claim however would seem to have more to do with adroit marketing rather than anything else.

• Melatonin.
  
  The use of melatonin is controversial, not least because its use is yet to be approved by any regulatory body. Also, despite many studies conducted over many years, opinion remains divided about whether it actually works or not.
  
  Various studies have nonetheless produced encouraging results and it would appear that melatonin might well be of benefit to a number of users, making it worth a try. It is not however a remedy in itself and should be taken as just part of a jet lag management plan.

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