Jetlag minimisation/avoidance strategies

[anat0l]

When I saw the thread title, I had to double take and read, because I thought it said Jetstar minimisation/avoidance strategies... then I had to read it again... no, I am not jetlagged (I wish I was - it means I would be travelling!)

Although I'm not immune to jetlag and its effects, I have to admit that I don't often try many strategies that would minimise jetlag, including using medication like melatonin. If it were me, I'd nap before the departure in MEL, then sleep the MEL-HKG flight (probably would look at the menu and 80% chance I'd ask the crew to skip the first meal service and go for only a light breakfast before arrival in HKG). In HKG, I might eat a bit more for breakfast in the lounge. Once I board the HKG-LHR, I'd ask the crew if I can eat much later after having more sleep (perhaps another 4-8 hours). Maybe another small nap before the pre-landing meal.

If I had important commitments in London on the evening of arrival, I'd probably put in a bit more kip before landing so I'm quite rested once touching down in London. Probably make sure a good coffee or cup of tea on board before touching down in London.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Along with the turbo, just for a bit of extra kick at the start?

Exactly.Knocks you out fast! Allegedly. It doesn’t work for me. But then don’t like melatonin much, so I only take 1/4 of a tablet.

Maybe if I took the whole one!

 

[DC3]

When I saw the thread title, I had to double take and read, because I thought it said Jetstar

Should have gone to Specsavers.

 

[kiwitripper64]

Try to get an hours exercise in sunlight as soon as you can in London. Its a good re-set

 

[dajop]

Try to get an hours exercise in sunlight as soon as you can in London. Its a good re-set

Agree totally. Even after sunset or in winter an hour or two of walking around helps stay awake until bed time proper and helps the reset.

 

[Quickstatus]

Yes light is the best circadian reset tool.
Read or orange tinted glasses which block blue light supposedly makes your brain think it is nighttime
There are even glasses with blue emitting lights to make your brain think its daytime

Will the HKG-LHR flight be lit the entire sector?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yes light is the best circadian reset tool.
Read or orange tinted glasses which block blue light supposedly makes your brain think it is nighttime
There are even glasses with blue emitting lights to make your brain think its daytime

Will the HKG-LHR flight be lit the entire sector?

Hopefully not! People should close their shades so everyone can get some sleep!

 

[Quickstatus]

People should close their shades so everyone can get some sleep

If anything more for the cabin crew's benefit. "Feed the chooks and turn the lights out" kinda thing

But this flight departs HKG in the morning and lands LHR in the afternoon. Best to stay awake as much as possible.

 

[turtlemichael]

Will the HKG-LHR flight be lit the entire sector?

I'd think standard practice would be to darken the cabin from breakfast time. Many joining in HKG would have been up very early for an 8.00am departure.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Hopefully not! People should close their shades so everyone can get some sleep!

But not everyone wants to sleep either. I'm guilty of being "that guy" who wants the windows open when it's bright sunshine and there are things to see underneath!

 

[Quickstatus]

The Oz Melatonin gets fiddled with somehow

There are reports that some melatonin products are laced with CBD, not necessarily restricted to AU. Melatonin Gummies in particular. Additionally the 'doses' are not necessarily consistent with whats on the label.

But not everyone wants to sleep either.

Especially if its a daytime flight going to LHR when I want to reset the circadian clock across 8 time zones.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

But not everyone wants to sleep either. I'm guilty of being "that guy" who wants the windows open when it's bright sunshine and there are things to see underneath!

Indeed! But already the topic of an extensive thread elsewhere on AFF regarding control of window shades and whether people should lower them

 

[drron]

Well as usual I am the odd one out. Melatonin and sedatives never helped me sleep. But as I age jetlag has definitely got less frequent though we do try not to do overnight flights so having a nights sleep in a hotel between flights.

The only time I slept well on a plane was an overnight RJ flight BKK-AMM. We had flown QF BNE-SYD-BKK before that with about 3 hours in BKK. But the 2 days prior to flying were probably the busiest days work I ever had. So I remember seeing the lights on in the BKK terminal as we took off and then the Captain announcing descent into Amman. No jet lag on arrival at all.

So I am of no help at all.

 

[BCons]

Well you are a help - you got 10 hrs sleep and woke up great. My thinking is: if you're not sleep-deprived then thats half the battle with a different time zone. Worst thing is arriving tired, sleepless and (just occasionally) hung over..!

 

[Forg]

My best defense against jet lag was having a really annoying cold, one that caused much sneezing & nose-leakage & had me go through about 3 boxes of tissues each leg of the flight & had me avoiding sleep even worse than I normally do.
And I arrived feeling totally smashed & awful ... it just wasn't due to the jet lag.

 

[RooFlyer]

The Oz Melatonin gets fiddled with somehow. I’ve tried both.

You really think so? Prescription 'medicine'# in Australia 'fiddled with'? I don't think so. If you find the Oz is less effective than the USA, may be the dose. Max 2mg here, 5mg common in the USA (and ones I get are 120 tabs at a time!) and higher dose possible.

# Over-the-counter too, but its the same stuff. My pharmac_ likes me to get a scripts every now and then so they know my GP is OK with it. So my GP gave me a script with 5 repeats, which lasts me over a year (I take it home quite a lot, not just for jetlag)

 

[Quickstatus]

Prescription 'medicine'# in Australia 'fiddled with'?

More likely "not as advertised" in the US where it is classed as a dietary supplement.

 

[RooFlyer]

More likely "not as advertised" in the US where it is classed as a dietary supplement.

Don’t understand, sorry. The comment was that melatonin in Australia has been ‘fiddled with.’.

 

[Quickstatus]

The comment was that melatonin in Australia has been ‘fiddled with.’.

I know, hence my comment that the "fiddling" or "not as advertised" is more likely in the US for the reason I gave above ... than in Australia where it is a prescription medicine and has an ARTG ID (Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods ID.

 

[dajop]

But not everyone wants to sleep either. I'm guilty of being "that guy" who wants the windows open when it's bright sunshine and there are things to see underneath!

I think on these day flights to Europe you get a few who leave the window shades open either for a few minutes or for longer periods. IME (and I did three such flights last year from SIN, one each to LHR, CDG and FRA) most passengers don’t seem to be that organised around sleeping (unlike the overnight flights) and at any given time you’ll have a some asleep, but many awake. It’s more about preventing glare on screens than creating a dark quiet sleeping environment.