How to tackle jet lag

Long international flights can almost always mean facing a bout of jet lag. It can be a small price to pay for visiting the other side of the world, but there are ways to reduce the impact of jet lag on your next holiday.  

What is jet lag?

Jet lag is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, meaning it’s a disruption to our internal body clock and sleep patterns.

Why do we get jet lag?

Our bodies work on a 24-hour sleeping and eating cycle (our circadian rhythms). Flying to foreign time zones disrupts our natural circadian rhythms and confuses our body clocks. So the time zone you are in doesn’t match your natural rhythm. 

What are the symptoms of jet lag?

Jet lag symptoms can include insomnia, excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue, appetite loss, indigestion, constipation and difficulties with memory and concentration.

How long does jet lag last?

How long jet lag lasts depends on several factors. These include the distance travelled, arrival time, age, stress, the body's unique rhythms, and overall health. Generally jet lag will go away after a few days but sometimes it can last for up to a week.

Jet lag is usually worse when travelling east than when travelling west; this is because it’s easier to delay our internal clock than advance it. 

How can we beat jet lag?

There’s no magical cure for jet lag. But there are things we can do to help avoid waking up at odd hours or being hit with fatigue in the middle of the day. 

Before you fly:

• Get a good night’s sleep. It may seem like a good idea to stay awake the night before an international flight, but experts advise against it. It’s actually much better to be well rested for the journey.
• Start acclimatising early (if you can). One way to minimise jet lag can be to try to adapt to your destination country’s time zone a few days before you fly. Obviously, this isn’t entirely possible, but if you set your alarm for 3am, get up, have a snack and write a few emails before going back to sleep, it might help you adjust quicker when you land.

During your flight:

• Set your phone and watch to the destination time when you board. It’s not advisable to do it earlier than this, trying to juggle boarding times in two time zones can be tricky!
• Eat and sleep on the plane at times when you would eat and sleep at your destination. This can be hard to do – you have no control over mealtimes on a flight, and sleeping on a plane at all is difficult – but it’s a good one to try if you can.
• Stay hydrated. Drinking water in the air is as important as drinking water on the ground, maybe even more so. This will help hydrate your skin, oxygenate your muscles and regulate your bodily fluids, which can help alleviate swelling and liquid retention.   
• Curb your caffeine intake. While it’s okay to have a coffee when breakfast is served on a long-haul flight, be careful you don’t overdo it. Caffeinated drinks, like coffee and Coke and even tea, can disrupt your sleep patterns, which are already being disrupted enough.
• Drink alcohol in moderation. A glass of wine on the plane can be a nice indulgence – just try to keep drinking to a minimum. Drinking alcohol at high altitudes is extremely dehydrating, and can interfere with sleep, causing greater fatigue after you land.
• Book an airport hotel room for long stopovers. If your trip allows it, one of the best ways to combat jet lag is by getting lots of rest during your journey. Getting a space to relax and get some quality sleep in is going to leave you feeling better on the other side of the flight!

After you land:

• Get moving. Exercise is a great way to reset your body clock, release endorphins, and trick your circadian rhythms into submission. It will also help you stretch out your limbs after a cramped flight.   
• Soak in some vitamin D. Just like exercise, sunlight is important to help your body clock adjust to the new time zone. Carefully timed exposure in daylight and darkness can help sync your circadian rhythm with local time.
• Take naps. If fatigue hits in the middle of the day when you have things to do and people to see, try to have a 30-minute power nap if you can. But keep nap time strictly under 30 minutes, and no less than four hours before your actual bedtime, or you’ll do more harm to your body clock than good.   

You may not be able to escape jet lag entirely, but you can help prepare yourself for the unexpected with comprehensive travel insurance. With Medibank Travel Insurance, Medibank health members get 15% off.