Flying long-haul from Stansted
- 8 tips to reduce the effects of jet lag by Paula Garrett
Stansted
Airport is the UK's third busiest airport handling 24 million passengers
a year flying to more than 160 destinations worldwide. The increasing
number of destinations offered at Stansted airport has led to more and
more travellers venturing further a field and, whether you are flying for
business or pleasure, long-haul flying and jet lag often go hand in hand.
 Jet lag occurs
when the body's rhythms are out of sync with your destination time - the
body operates on a 24-hour cycle, and travelling to a different time zone
alters the body's natural rhythm causing jet lag. The more time zones you
cross the worse it can be - travelling east has a greater affect on jet
lag than travelling west. It is easier on the body's biorhythms to add a
few extra hours to the day, as in travelling west, than reducing the
number of hours in a day when travelling east. The speed with which your
body can realign itself to your new time zone, adjusting its body rhythm
to daylight, darkness, eating and sleeping in the new time zone, affects
the length of time you experience jet lag for.
Jet
lag can cause any or all of the following symptoms:
-
Fatigue and lethargy
-
Insomnia
-
Disorientation
- Swollen
hands and feet
-
Headaches
-
Digestive problems
-
Irritability or anxiety
- Lack of
concentration
- Loss of
appetite and nausea
-
Dehydration.
It is
often thought that it takes a day to recover for each time zone travelled
through- this is great news for travellers on a week's holiday or a
business traveller on a three day conference halfway across the world!
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So what can you do to minimise
the affects of jet lag? The following tips are designed to help you
avoid the worst of jet lag and realign your body clock as soon as
possible.
1.
Drink plenty of water, avoiding alcohol and caffeine. Water is best
but, if you find drinking large amounts of water difficult or just
plain boring, fruit juice and herbal teas will do.
2.
If you are due to land in the morning at your destination, try to sleep
during the flight. Sleeping on board a plane in cramped conditions
isn't easy but take off your shoes and try to get comfortable. An eye
mask and ear plugs with help block out cabin distractions and a blow up
neck rest should add to your comfort. Even if you are unable to sleep
throughout the flight, just try to rest, close your eyes and try to 'switch
off'.
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3. If
you are due to land at night, try to stay awake throughout the flight.
Read a book, listen to some music but try to resist sleeping as this will
mean you will be unable to sleep destination time and take longer for
your body clock to adjust.
4. Set
your watch to your destination time as soon as you get on the plane and
try to live by it straight away. Try to eat at times appropriate to your
destination time not departure time.
5.
Some people reduce the impact of time zone changes by gradually adapting
their routine by an hour or so a few days before they travel. By getting
up an hour earlier or staying up later for a few days prior to departure
depending on their destination time.
6. If
you arrive in the daytime, try to avoid the temptation to sleep, get
outside in the sunshine - daylight, or any light, is a major factor in
resetting your internal clock. If you are exhausted and have to sleep try
to limit a nap to one hour - set an alarm clock or your mobile phone to
wake you.
7. If
you arrive at night and don't feel sleepy, try a warm bath and a glass of
warm milk - a natural sleep inducer.
8.
Resist the urge to party all night for the first couple days and get a
couple of good night's sleep. This should help you adjust your body clock
to your destination time and make for a more enjoyable stay.
There
is no miracle cure for jet lag, but by following the above tips you
should minimise its effects.
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About
the Author - Paula Garrett is a contributor to the Stansted
airport information website which offers up-to-date travel
information, advice and further health tips for air travellers.
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