recovering from jet lag

Jet Lag - A Natural Approach

jet lag remedies

What is jet lag?

At its simplest, jet lag is a very common sleep disorder endured by millions of travelers daily. It affects both those traveling on vacation and on business and, according to a recent survey of international business travelers, three quarters of those questioned said that they frequently suffered from jet lag.

Jet lag affects individuals of all ages and, although it varies widely from one person to another, it tends to increase in severity the older you are.

In addition, if you are already experiencing difficulty sleeping, you could well find that jet lag is more of a problem.

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

Finally, the symptoms of jet lag don't always appear straight away and, for some people, it might be a couple of days before it hits.

Jet lag remedies

Jet lag is a set of symptoms, rather than a specific condition or disease and, consequently, has no specific cure. The secret to finding a remedy lies in putting together a management plan for jet lag, enabling you to bring down its effects both in terms of severity and time.

Before doing this however we should look at several of the traditionally quoted jet lag 'cures' and lay a few myths to rest.

• Diet.
  
  In spite of claims to the contrary, no scientific evidence exists to show that so called "jet lag diets" work and it's probable that any benefits claimed are wholly psychological - the placebo effect. Additionally, "jet lag diets" are frequently complex and, to say the least, tedious to follow.

• Over the Counter Medication.
  
  In general, over the counter medication will do nothing to solve the problem of jet lag. This said, if you find yourself suffering from headaches during the late afternoon or evening then the use of Tylenol PM or Excedrin PM may help. These are both forms of well known painkillers but also contain mild soporifics.

• Jet Lag Formulas.
  
  You can buy several different 'over the counter' tablets meant specifically to cure jet lag. Nonetheless, there is no evidence to suggest that these tablets do any good.
  
  The majority are manufactured from a combination of amino acids and vitamins, or homeopathic preparations that are alleged to 'reset your biorhythms'. This claim however would seem to have more to do with canny marketing rather than anything else.

• Sleeping Pills.
  
  The first port of call for many people with sleeping problems is usually the bottle of sleeping pills and, while these can be useful in some circumstances, their use is not commonly advisable.
  
  The biggest problem with sleeping pills is that they are designed for short-term use to deal with particular sleeping difficulties and they do this by inducing a 'false' state of sleep.
  
  With jet lag you need to return your body to its normal sleeping pattern as quickly and effortlessly as you can and taking sleeping pills will give you temporary relief, but will, in the final analysis, draw out your recovery.
  
  Having said this, if you are 'climbing the walls' and decide that you do need this short-term relief, then here are a few guidelines to follow:

• 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 several years, opinion is divided about whether or not it works.
  
  A number of studies have however produced encouraging results and it seems that melatonin may be of benefit to a number of users, making it worth trying. It is not however a cure in itself and should be taken as just one part of an overall jet lag management plan.

recovering from jet lag, jet lag