Jet lag - whats the secret cure?

[munitalP]

We all get it, although some are affected less than others. I am presently 4 hours behind Melbourne, and coming up to 6 days in this time zone, yet for the life of me, 4-5am I'm wide awake. This is the worst I have had, I usually kick the lag in a day or two.

My normal routine is to immediately set my watch to the destination time as soon as on board the aircraft, work out when I should sleep and eat (opposed to wanting to) and start the adjustment as of then. I don't know what is wrong this time, perhaps it is the four hours, just enough to lag, but not long enough to allow the body to resync?

I welcome anyone's suggestions - I'm here till at least the end of next week and I will become an axe wielding homicidal maniac very soon if I don't get a good nights sleep! What makes it even worse is that next week is a test of the brain witnessing testing and applying electrical formula - I can't afford to be tired....

munitalP

 

[Bundy Bear]

We all get it, although some are affected less than others. I am presently 4 hours behind Melbourne, and coming up to 6 days in this time zone, yet for the life of me, 4-5am I'm wide awake. This is the worst I have had, I usually kick the lag in a day or two.

My normal routine is to immediately set my watch to the destination time as soon as on board the aircraft, work out when I should sleep and eat (opposed to wanting to) and start the adjustment as of then. I don't know what is wrong this time, perhaps it is the four hours, just enough to lag, but not long enough to allow the body to resync?

I welcome anyone's suggestions - I'm here till at least the end of next week and I will become an axe wielding homicidal maniac very soon if I don't get a good nights sleep! What makes it even worse is that next week is a test of the brain witnessing testing and applying electrical formula - I can't afford to be tired....

munitalP

For the first time on this trip I didn't get any jet lag on the return journey, I was some what jetlagged when I got to Houston, but took only 2 days to adjust.

2 suggestions
Make sure the room is dark and cool.
Take aspro before bed which thins the blood and helps you to relax.

Jetlag, already looking for it, for this trip

Airport Dr, Brisbane Airport QLD 4009, Australia

Sent from my iPhone using AFF Mobile

 

[notzac]

Sleeping tablets - Stilnox works nicely for me, but I know a few people who get "hangovers" from it.

 

[yohy?!]

last time I arrived back from the UK at 10am in Syd exhausted, made it my mission to stay awake until midnight.

which was helped by a bunch if friends who were keen to spend a beautiful summer afternoon eating and drinking and catching up.

Combine with a red bull here and there to keep energy levels up and a midnight bed time and I believe I forced my body to 'reset' it's clock entirely - no jet lag at all (in the past I've had shocking jet lag coming back from Europe with 3am wake ups and 3pm passing-outs).

 

[BVT]

I usually find that taking a sleeping tablet, for no more than two nights does the trick. Somehow it tricks the body into re programming it's sleep regime.

I sympathise. Sweet dreams.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Getting horizontal rest helps. I remember one time I was fortunate enough to score the middle row of 4 seats to myself flying LAX/SYD. I had to work that day & honestly felt like I'd had a proper nights sleep.

I find it easier to adjust LAX/SYD that SYD/LAX as I tend to stay awake until 0400 then want to sleep until 1200 which is mirroring the time zones back in Oz.

Definitely have curtains closed to block out as much daylight, have the air-con on & keep a drink and snack by the bed if you're hungry as you'll be wide awake in no time if you get up and walk around. A shower just before bed helps you to relax too.

I know it's not always possible, but if travelling from Aust to Europe if you can avoid having an overnight on the plane where you arrive early am in the UK. Much better to take a day flight Aust to Asia & overnight in a hotel for a proper sleep.

Then then take a daytime flight Asia arriving in Europe late afternoon. You can then check immediately into your hotel room have a brisk walk around before dinner then sleep in a proper bed again that night.

Have never taken sleeping tablets of any kind so can't comment on that. Has anyone got any tried and tested herbal remedies?

 

[simongr]

What's Jetlag?

Seriously the most impact I have is simply the lack of sleep - e.g. flying SYD-HKG overnight, arriving at 5AM and being in the office by about 8:30AM - I went for a kip around 4PM for an hour and was fine then. Or flying SYD-LHR (in PE :shock, arriving 6AM(ish) and going straight to the office after a shower - by 4PM local time I was exhausted and went to the train station ready to snooze all the way to Yorkshire but was awake and fine (death of loved one probably kept my mind active).

Generally when I travel, on my first night I tend to have a big night out - dinner, some wine and crash around 9PM and sleep through.

The only place I suffer at all is NZ - my body just doesn't adjust to NZ time...

@Ozbeachbae - given wine is made from grapes - is that considered a herbal remedy?

 

[fjc]

Have never taken sleeping tablets of any kind so can't comment on that. Has anyone got any tried and tested herbal remedies?

At home, I find 2 glasses of hot milk and with a teaspoon good quality honey generally send me off to sleep. Hot milk on it's own doesn't work for me - the honey helps the calcium to be absorbed.

I wonder if calcium tables could take the place of the milk? It shouldn't be too difficult to take a very small jar of honey onto the plane, then take a teaspoon at the time you take the tablets.

Anyone know?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

The only place I suffer at all is NZ - my body just doesn't adjust to NZ time...

When I was working over there for an 8 week stint work was meant to fly me home (BNE at the time) every weekend. Couldn't fly out Fri pm so had to get up at a ridiculously early hour Sat am in AKL which was 3 hours ahead on BNE so was desperately trying to stay awake at the wedding reception I had to go to that night.

Coming back on Sunday night I arrived at midnight in AKL so quite late by the time you get back to the hotel when working the next day. Every other weekend I just relaxed & explored AKL & surrounds.

@Ozbeachbabe - given wine is made from grapes - is that considered a herbal remedy?

Definitely!

 

[yohy?!]

Have never taken sleeping tablets of any kind so can't comment on that. Has anyone got any tried and tested herbal remedies?

I swear by Valerian as natural sleep remedy - useful both on the plane and off and no groggy hangover like prescription meds

 

[Princess Fiona]

Getting horizontal rest helps

I know it's not always possible, but if travelling from Aust to Europe if you can avoid having an overnight on the plane where you arrive early am in the UK. Much better to take a day flight Aust to Asia & overnight in a hotel for a proper sleep.

Then then take a daytime flight Asia arriving in Europe late afternoon. You can then check immediately into your hotel room have a brisk walk around before dinner then sleep in a proper bed again that night.

Have never taken sleeping tablets of any kind so can't comment on that. Has anyone got any tried and tested herbal remedies?

I think all of the above is great advice. I find Melatonin 5mg works for me. I take the first dose whilst travelling at 10pm destination time.
For those who are interested the following is a link to the Cochrane Database review on MelatoninMelatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag

 

[drron]

Unfortunately we are all different.Nothing works for everyone.Although the various remedies mentioned here may help some none have worked for me.The only thing that worked pre-retirement(I was going to put PR but the medicos may have choked on their coffee)was the suggestion from ozbeachbabe,time your flights-Iwould get jetlag flying into LAX arriving in the morning but no problems flying straight to JFK arriving ~ 1800.Time just to get to hotel,have dinner then to bed at approx the same hour as usual.
Of absolutely no help to the OP I have found the perfect solution to all flying problems is retirement.I now can sleep on any flight-even a 1 hour flight at 1000-and have no problems with jetlag.getting rid of stress is magnificent.

 

[drewbles]

I swear by Valerian as natural sleep remedy - useful both on the plane and off and no groggy hangover like prescription meds

I found that Valerian wasn't quite doing enough for me (and the smell of rotting bananas emanating from most bottles of the stuff) so I tried the Natures Own Complete Sleep capsules. They're dried ingredients in them. A couple of them 30 minutes before bed, and I have a totally decent sleep. I don't get the sleep inertia in the morning (aka the sleeping tablet "hangover") and I actually feel refreshed.

It's strange, I can fly long distances and suffer minimal jetlag (like munitalP I tend to get on board, adjust watch, and go for it, although I find taking flights that are traversing a significant part of night, and being tired, make it easier) but put me on a flight to PER where it's only 3 hours behind, and I cannot do it properly. I just spent over 4 days there, and I was still waking up around 4-5am every morning, and was dead to the world by around 10pm. Got back to MEL and was fine within half a day (And I had only been in MEL for 48 hours after getting back from the US before going to PER).

My solution is avoid PER and just stick to my longhauls

 

[JohnK]

What is jetlag? We don't all get it.

I recently spent 10 nights in Thailand which is also 4 hours behind Sydney.

First night I got to the hotel at 1:30am and was so tired I was asleep by 2:00am. Every other night I went to sleep between 11:00pm and 1:00am except 1 night when I went out all night with some new friends and did not sleep until 4:30am.

I had great sleep every night.

 

[munitalP]

What is jetlag? We don't all get it.

I recently spent 10 nights in Thailand which is also 4 hours behind Sydney.

First night I got to the hotel at 1:30am and was so tired I was asleep by 2:00am. Every other night I went to sleep between 11:00pm and 1:00am except 1 night when I went out all night with some new friends and did not sleep until 4:30am.

I had great sleep every night.

You are obviously far better off than most everyone else then John

Notably, the question of jet lag generally arises when people are travelling for work rather than leisure - you are far more relaxed for a start. I don't have the option of going to bed at 0430 or sleeping in as I have commitments to my company as well as my customers whom I represent, and they pay a very high penalty if I screw up, so obviously this can't be allowed to happen.

Well done on not getting jet lag

 

[harvyk]

last time I arrived back from the UK at 10am in Syd exhausted, made it my mission to stay awake until midnight.

which was helped by a bunch if friends who were keen to spend a beautiful summer afternoon eating and drinking and catching up.

Combine with a red bull here and there to keep energy levels up and a midnight bed time and I believe I forced my body to 'reset' it's clock entirely - no jet lag at all (in the past I've had shocking jet lag coming back from Europe with 3am wake ups and 3pm passing-outs).

That's exactly what I do... I'll usually have a night out when I arrive somewhere (given that my body is used to long nights in such situations anyway...) and I find I very quickly end up syncing with the current time zone.

 

[Jasecoop]

I think the best solution is to have young kids at home = used to lack of sleep = no jet lag. I actually get more uninterrupted sleep on a plane than I do at home (assuming a long haul flight)

Seriously, usually I spend 30-50% of my time in all different countries. My key is to stay awake where ever I am until it is night. I always stay away from booze as I find this just makes it worse the next day and I avoid sleeping tablets as I figure if I take 1 then I will always need one to sleep. My only problem is, without fail, for the first few days I need to go to the loo at 2.30am, whatever country i am in but normally get straight back to sleep (prob the training from getting up to the kids when I am home)

 

[samh004]

I think I had jet lag in LRE recently, but then that may have also been a full day spent outside in the sun preceded by a few hours sleep the night before taking its toll on me.

I find the best way is to prepare for the intended time zone before departing, if possible. If it’s a spot on the other side of the world, it’s harder to prepare in your own time zone, but somewhere 4 hours different would be easier to prepare for, either by going to bed earlier or later.

 

[coco50]

I can honestly say that I have never had jet lag. This includes many overseas trips and a memorable RTW trip in 2008. Some tips (not always possible to achieve!)

• Try to travel in a westerly direction if RTW eg SYD - SIN - LHR - JFK - LAX - HNL - SYD
• See your doctor and get advice on and a prescription for a sleeping tablet
• Travel on daytime flights arriving at destination in early evening
• Where flight is night time flight have meal and limit the consumption of alcohol. Take sleeping tablet
• Set watch to destination time at beginning of flight
• If flight was overnight try to remain awake during the next day and reestablish a normal routine

 

[Maca44]

I usually fly SYD-LAX or SFO and although I still get a little jetlag especially if I transfer to an ORD flight I found that by setting the alarm for 2am on day of departure out of SYD, getting a little bit of work done and an hour or so after the meal is served I sleep quite well no doubt through exhaustion, but horses for courses and it works for me.

However, unlike others it takes me a couple of days to get over the return trip, and I am very fortunate and grateful to have not flown Y since 2001.