Healthy travel: Fly Free of Jet Lag

In the days when world travel meant crossing the sea in an ocean liner rather than by plane, our bodies would gradually cross time zones, and our internal clock would be in sync with the environment.

Well, we kissed those days goodbye a long time ago.

Now that we jet across time zones in hours rather than days, we experience an unsettling feeling called circadian misalignment, in which our internal clock is out of sync with the external environment. Because our internal clock controls many of the body’s functions, jet lag can leave you with digestive problems, headaches, and of course, insomnia. As we know, insomnia always means low energy. It can also mean problems with memory, attention span, judgment, and communication, all especially troubling for business travels.

The time of day that you travel, the direction, and of course, the distance all factor into how jet lag might affect you. Traveling east to west tends to be easier on our bodies simply because we’re heading into the sun. (Remember, light is the single strongest synchronizer for our internal clock).

Generally our internal clock resets itself about one time zone per day. To help matters along (and minimize the loss of energy that comes from jet lag), here are some positive measures you can take.

• Be well rested. Don’t start the trip with sleep debt. You’d be surprised how many people overlook this part of the anti-jet lag program and run themselves ragged right before leaving for vacation. I myself have done it, figuring, what the heck, I’ll sleep on the plane. Not a great idea. Plan to have a few nights of quality sleep before you travel.

• Drink wisely. Since recirculated air is dehydrating (and dehydration equals a reduction in energy), drink water as you fly. How much? Probably more than you think. A good idea is to drink at least a few of those small bottles the airlines give out. At the very least, keep refilling the glass. You won’t drink it if it’s not there in front of you. Limit caffeine and alcohol, as they can disturb sleep.

• Ease into the zone. If you are traveling eastward, try to follow your body’s cues, avoid bright light when you internal clock thinks it’s evening, and expose yourself to light some-time after 5:00 a.m. in your home time zone.