Long trips and flights can be extremely exhausting and disruptive to our body clock. For cabin crew who flight several times per month to different destinations around the globe this effect is even worst. SKYPRO tells you everything you need to know about jet lag and great tips to deal with it!
Our body clock (circadian rhythm) that controls when you feel sleepy or active and it is controlled by daylight. When travelling to a different time zone it is very disruptive to this rhythm. For this reason you can get symptoms of jet lag when you cross three or more time zones.
The symptoms of jet lag are different for everyone. Usually are related to tiredness, low energy during the day, sleep disturbs and difficulty concentrating. Depending on the number of time zones you pass through your flight the symptoms might during more or less days. Since flight attendants and pilots do several flights per month they might feel some of these symptoms in a more permanent way.
There are a few things that can make jet lag worst and that you should avoid:
- Tiredness – be well rested before your flight
- Alcohol – alcohol impairs the quality of sleep and hangovers make jet lag worst
- Caffeine – it’s very disruptive to sleep
Other things you may do to prevent jet lag:
- As soon as you board your flight adjust your watch to the destination time.
- When you arrive spend the day outdoors, natural light will help your body clock to adjust.
- If you are only stay for a couple of days it’s best to just stick to your home timings.
There aren’t any medicines specifically available for jet lag. Melatonin can be useful for who cross more than five time zones in their flights. It might be helpful for those who travel a lot.
Do you have some tricks to deal with jet lag that want to share with us?
