Jet Lag

[PigBoy#1 28]

Gentlemen,

 

The worst part of my trips, besides having to leave, is getting over the jet lag when I get home. I like to take advantage of every second of my holiday, so when the plane lands at 5:00 AM, I am sitting at my desk 2 hours later at 7 AM. The time difference is 12 or 13 hours, depending on when I go. I have tried to stay awake later, going to sleep at 4:00 am thinking that when I get home, I won't start getting tired until 4PM. It doesn't work. It is so bad for me, that some one has to drive me home from work the first 4 days I am back. The only thing that seems to help is that I plan my return to work for Thursday, so I will only have 2 days until the week end. I think this jet lag has a major part in contributing to the PTY blues. Any other ideas that you may have to speed up the recovery are appreciated. BTW, I don't seem to have any problems going to SEA.

 

Thanks for listening.

 

Ty_

[Soi7 1]

It always took me what seemed to be forever to get back to normal when returning from a trip

working 11 Pm to 11 Am seemed to help is my case

[rb 20]

I'm no Doctor or scienctist but have several friends thay are pilots and stewartess.

I'm told jet-lag is a result of dehydration.

drinking as much water as possible will help a little but certainaly not eliminate it.

 

I also belive quiting all forms of work will help which is my personal plan.

 

like the coments I get about making such a long flight to begin, there's always a price to pay.

[Owen` 2]

Suggestion:

 

Yes, dehydration is a factor. But the biggest factor is sunlight. If you return home and it is cloudy during the day it will take a very long time to re-adjust.

 

The key to jetlag is sunshine. It resets your clock. If it is overcast during the day, then you need to stare at lit lightbulbs during the day.

 

Sounds silly, but it's true.

[neil324 0]

never get jet lag coming back only going lasts about 3 days feel like crap, strange

[too_mutt 10]

Some have tried staying on their home time while in Pattaya. It does hamper some of the day time activites however depending on your home time zone.

 

Regards

Edited October 23, 2005 by SoCalGuy

[galt67 2]

I used the 'diet' described on this web site pretty sucessfully:

 

http://www.antijetlagdiet.com/

 

Essentially recommends alternating feasting/fasting a couple of days before leaving for Thailand--and before you leave.

 

Doesn't eliminate jet lag but helps.

[Guest Winston_Churchill]

Any brits suffered with jet lag?? i dont know what the fuck it is.

The beer in my local tastes a bit funny for a few days thats about it.

My question is.

Is this an American thing this jet lag thing,is it something to do with the inbreeding do they claim it back on insurance or something? if so us Brits need a piece of this action

[sinbinjack 243]

The best thing to avoid jet lag is to go to sleep when you feel tired and wake when you are refreshed I know this is easy for me as I dont work at all but I have never had jet lag just long or short sleeps

[Eneukman 1]

I've never had any major problems travelling to and from Thailand. I try to adjust to the new time zone straight away. Coming home, I tend to arrive at Heathrow at around 5.15 or so in the morning, but will have been awake at least 2 or 3 hours before that. I stay up as long as I can, though inevitably I have to go to bed an hour or so earlier than normal.

 

I made a point of not going to work the day I arrived back home (could only really have dome half a day anyway by the time I got back to Edinburgh, unpacked, refreshed myself and got some food in and so on.

 

Alan

[dotcom_OD 0]

My trick is to eat the first meal that is served usually a late dinner on the West Coast of US to South East Asia...then knock myself out with a good pill such as Lunestra(SP I think)...it helps you sleep soundly with no headaches when you wake up...It has worked and the jet lag is diminished considerably...

Check with you doctor's for their advice and don't take it unless you are flying on international trips of length...

One thing nice is I miss the crying of the babies, seeing people sleeping, being awakened for a lousy breakfast in flight...And I let the stewardess know...let me sleep until the last meal before landing....Then its wake up time...:)

[thechairman18 174]

I'm a Brit, and live in the North of the country. I therefore have to fly 2 legs, ie connect in Heathrow, last time Zurich, and this time 4th Dec, via Paris.

I have always managed a night flight, landing at BKK 1-3pm. I have also managed to get night flights home, leaving BKK 1130pm- 0100am.

This means I get home by 10am in the morning. I don't feel 100%, but not really too bad.

However a couple of years ago, when I flew back from the Los Angeles, I was wrecked for a week.

thechairman18

[wacmedia 277]

Any brits suffered with jet lag?? i dont know what the fuck it is.

 

Hi

 

Never suffered from it, but our cousins have a longer trip to LOS.

[growler 0]

never get jet lag coming back only going lasts about 3 days feel like crap, strange

Not really. In general more likely going east rather than west.

[sindre 0]

Some doctor told me not to drink alcohol during the flight.

stay hydrated by avoiding coffee, alcohol etc.

 

It helps, but many people will still be jet-lagged no matter how good they prepare themselves for the flight.

[TheFiend 1,181]

I have never suffered jetlag, but perhaps that is due to being a shiftworker who is used to constantly changing sleep cycles

Edited January 25, 2006 by TheFiend

[PhillipUK 0]

Personally I can't say I have ever suffered from "jet lag". Normally I just feel tired, whatever direction I am flying in. Generally that is just tiredness from dragging suitcases around and stress of airports. A good nights sleep and I tend to be OK.

 

A friend tiold me to keep to your normal pattern, i.e. no matter how tired you feel avoid going to bed when you get home and go to sleep at the normal time you would when you are at home, and yes I am told, Avoid alcohol on the flight!

[Owen` 2]

A few years ago there was talk of melatonin pills as a treatment. There's nothing really to "cure", but the pills could be used to accelerate the re-adjustment.

 

FYI to the Brits, LOS is 12 hrs time difference to the eastern time zone of the US. That's the maximum possible on the planet. I think you folks have fewer hours of adjustment.

 

I live in the mountain time zone of the US, which is one time zone east of the Pacific coast. My enroute time to LOS is 24 hrs, from my home to BKK, and tack on another few hours for the ride to Pattaya. First or Business class seats across the Pacific fill up. I would be willing to pay to be able to lay down and get a few hours sleep, but there are often no empty seats.

 

That, gentlemen, is devastating. 12 hrs of jet lag plus 24+ hours of no sleep to begin with is a formula for misery.

 

The only treatment I've read about that is not fad or outright bogus is the sun. The mechanism reseting your body's clock is bright light in your eyes. If it's a cloudy day(s) when you arrive in either direction, you have to do something about this or it can go on for weeks. Get outside and see the sun. If you can't see the sun, stare at bright lights during the day.

[Tafkamb 0]

For us Brits its only 6 or 7 hrs depending on daylight savings time

 

Currently its 7 hrs difference

[jtiger 9]

Jet lag does seem extra pronounced when flying eastward which explains why the British don't feel much jet lag going home.

 

When I fly from California to Thailand I don't get jet lag at all. I adjust right away. Coming home it can take up to two weeks to recover. Last trip I caught the flu on the plane back so I was battling both the flu and jet lag and I thought I was done for.

 

I think that I'll use the advice I've read here for my next trip. I'm going to spend lots of time outside in the sun when i return (as opposed to my usual darkend room in front of a computer screen). Maybe that will fix the problem.

 

Wheels up in 16 days.

[phantomtiger 0]

Jet lag is a major hassle for me cause I live on the East Coast . The time difference is the worst here travelling from LOS. I have tried all the above recommended "treatment"--sunlight etc. and really nothing works for me. My only cure is to make sure I am not working the same day or even the next day after arriving home and just let my body adjust as much as possible. This seems to work for me the best. I know this takes 1 day off from being in LOS but I think its worth it.

 

PT

[drpaul854 0]

jtiger - and a few others posted earlier are correct - jet lag effects you more when flying in an "easterly" direction (plot the shortest route with a straight line on a map and put a compass in the middle to determine if you are flying east or west - and if it is half way like New York it counts as easterly plus the maximum time zone changes)

 

For me flying from East Coast USA to LOS - no problems. Flying home it hits me hard for 4-6 days. Not enough to deter me from my next trip though.

 

As for you Brits (and others) not noticing it when flying easterly into LOS - well lets just say the distractions and late nights in LOS more than make up for the jet lag

Edited January 25, 2006 by drpaul854

[PokerUpFront 0]

jet lag is like jacking off. many deny it but all have personally experienced it

[phantomtiger 0]

jet lag is like jacking off. many deny it but all have personally experienced it

Men who deny it dont have dicks!!

Which brings us to the next question: Do ladyboys jerk off?

[PhillipUK 0]

got this off the BBC website

 

"What causes jet lag?

 

The most important factor in jet lag is how many time zones you cross and travelling east seems to be worst for most people. Jet lag occurs when you cross over a number of time zones and disrupt the normal 'circadian' rhythms, which help you wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night - also known as the 'body clock'.

 

If you have a rigid routine, it's likely that you might suffer more than someone who adapts easily to change - babies seem to be barely susceptible to jet lag. The symptoms of jet lag can include fatigue or exhaustion, a feeling of disorientation or fuzziness, and the inability to sleep. You may also feel dehydrated from being stuck in an air-conditioned cabin for hours, which can cause headaches, make your skin dry and make you more susceptible to colds or viruses.

 

Counteracting jet lag

 

change your watch as soon as you get on the flight: the quicker you adapt to the time zone the lower level of jet lag is likely to be

 

when you arrive in the new time zone, spend some time outside during daylight hours as natural light can help align your body clock

 

try to adjust your bedtime and mealtimes to the local timetable as soon as possible

 

schedule commitments at times when you are likely to have maximum energy: in the evenings after flying east, or in the mornings after flying west

 

the impact of alcohol on the body can be two to three times more potent when you're flying, so one glass of wine during the flight has the effect of two to three glasses on the ground. Avoid feeling even worse with a hangover by reducing alcohol intake before and during your flight

 

get as much exercise as you can: walking up and down the aisle, rotating your ankles and doing gentle stretching exercises in your seat can help to reduce discomfort and allow you to have a more relaxed flight

 

during extended stopovers on a long-haul flight, try to grab a shower: it can wake up your circulation and get things moving"