Travel Health

Circle of Wellness
Combating Jet Lag
Physical - Body



You are a hotshot executive who jets around the world for business. Your journey begins from Toronto to Vancouver, travelling back three hours. From there you air dash to Frankfurt, which is nine hours ahead. Your onward journey is at Melbourne, which is eight hours ahead, and then back to Toronto. A rollback of 14 hours!

Back home, you are exhausted, disoriented, confused, suffer from lack of sleep, tummy upset, have swollen feet and are dehydrated and irritated. This is a classic case of jet lag. It affects not only business explorers, but most long haul travellers.

But what is jet lag?

Jet lag is your body’s alarm, which goes off when it is unable to coordinate its systems with the outside environment. Your body tells you to sleep, but it is time to eat, or vice versa.

About 50 per cent of long distance travellers are affected, due to changes in climate, water and food as well as low immunity, according to a report by the World Health Organisation. This phenomenon affects us emotionally and physically. And the most affected are passengers with rigid routines.

How does jet lag happen?

As you might have noticed, jet lag is triggered by different time zones, and by extensive travelling. Regarding time zones, it is said to be easier to travel east than west.

The dry atmosphere of the aircraft can be the starting point for jet lag. People from humid climates find this change difficult to deal with. The dryness can leave you with headaches, dry nose blockages, dry skin and parched throats, making you prone to coughs, colds or even the flu. Also, the pressurised air aboard might leave you feeling tired.

Another pitfall of long distance journeys is the restriction of movement. Sitting cramped up for prolonged periods with a lack of exercise, and you are in the right state for jet lag.

Minimising jet lag

According to NASA, a person needs one day to readjust to new routine for every one hour travelled in a different time zone. Obviously, not everyone is privileged enough to get such leeway. But, one can combat jet lag with a few dos and don’ts.

• Get a good night’s sleep before departure.

• Wear comfortable and roomy clothes and shoes.

• Walk up and down the aisle and stretch as often as possible to improve blood circulation in the body.

• Drink lots of water when on board to minimise dehydration. Avoid fluids like tea and coffee. Avoid alcoholic beverages, as the impact is more potent when flying, leaving you with a bad hangover.

• Another way to combat jet lag is to consume melatonin, which helps you readjust your body clock. However, check with your medical practitioner before you start popping pills.

• If your stay abroad is for a short time, avoid changing your routine. However, if you are to stay for long, then days before departure, adjust your watch and your schedule to the new local time.

• After reaching your destination, spend some time outdoors. Exposure to sunlight is known to reduce travel stress.

There is no quick-fix solution for jet lag. However, a little conscious decision from our end can take us a long way in bouncing back to life with minimum discomfort.