December 21, 2023, 2:34 pm | Read time: 5 minutes
Boarding a vacation flight to distant lands is often associated with adventure, relaxation, and a spirit of discovery. However, an extended flight often comes with the unwanted side effect of jet lag, which disrupts the body’s natural rhythm. Now, American researchers have discovered in a study how to prevent this.
Traveling by plane north or south usually doesn’t disrupt your biological clock, even on long flights, because there is little to no time difference. It’s a different story when flying east or west and landing in a new time zone. If morning arrives at your vacation destination while it’s still night at home, or vice versa, it can disrupt your sleep-wake cycle. Besides fatigue, the dreaded jet lag often causes digestive issues, sleep problems, or irritability. How you can counteract this is shown in a recent study.
Avoiding Jet Lag – Here’s How
To find out how best to avoid jet lag, researchers from Northwestern University in Illinois and the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico, according to the British news portal “BBC,” examined how travelers can “resynchronize” their internal clocks with various signals.
The answer involves both sunlight and the stomach. Sunlight, especially in the morning, promotes melatonin production and is therefore crucial for sleep regulation. So, upon arrival, make sure to soak up as much sun as possible–of course, with appropriate UV protection. For example, a walk outdoors after the flight can help combat jet lag.
Also interesting: Which foods to eat before a flight–and which to avoid
But organs like our stomach also have their own internal clock, influenced by our food intake. According to Yitong Huang, the study’s lead researcher, a larger meal early in the morning in the new time zone can help overcome or prevent jet lag. In the evening, however, it’s best to avoid eating too much.
5 More Tips to Avoid Jet Lag
Apart from these new insights, there are tried-and-true tips to at least mitigate jet lag. Here’s what else you can do:
1. Prevent Jet Lag Early
To some extent, jet lag can be avoided in advance. It’s wise to schedule your arrival time based on your destination. For westward flights, plan to arrive around midday. These flights are generally less taxing on the body than eastward flights, as the body usually copes better with a longer day than a shorter one. This is the case for trips to the Far East or Australia. It’s a good idea to go to bed as early as possible in the days leading up to your departure to best adjust to the destination’s time zone.
If you’re facing a significant time difference of at least ten hours, it might be helpful to deprive yourself of sleep in preparation. Use short “power naps” to get by and catch up on sleep once you reach your destination.
2. Upon Daytime Arrival: Don’t Succumb to Fatigue
TRAVELBOOK also consulted a flight attendant on the topic. In Michelle P.’s job (name changed by the editors), long-haul flights are common, often without the chance to rest in between.
So what does the flight attendant do to prevent jet lag as much as possible? “I don’t sleep much after arrival.” She allows herself a maximum of two hours, then continues with her day as usual. The goal: to be thoroughly exhausted by evening to use the night for sleeping.
3. When to Sleep on the Plane–and When Not To
Try to sleep as much as possible when traveling east, such as to Asia. However, avoid sleeping pills and similar interventions, as they would only burden your body more. Instead, frequent flyers swear by carbohydrate-rich foods, which give a short energy boost and then lead to a “sugar crash,” making you tired.
On flights westward, such as to Latin America or the U.S., try to stay awake. Read, watch a movie, or start planning your time at the destination. Opt for protein-rich foods (such as fish, meat, and cheese) instead of sugary sleep-inducers.
4. Taking Melatonin
In a conversation with colleagues from FITBOOK, sleep researcher Hans-Günter Weeß explained that taking the “sleep hormone” melatonin can help adjust to a time change. Jet lag can be relatively reliably avoided if melatonin is taken daily from the moment of departure.
While melatonin is relatively easy to obtain in various forms (such as tablets, spray, etc.) in other countries, in Germany, only the medication Circadin is available–by prescription. This is beneficial, as it requires a consultation with a doctor before use.
5. Darken the Bedroom
Additionally, make sure to darken the bedroom well at night, as this benefits sleep quality. In this regard, also turn off the “blue light” components of screens on laptops or phones by evening. These can inhibit melatonin production in the brain and prevent you from becoming tired.
Do you fly often and have more tips? Then write to us at info@travelbook.de.