Jet Lag

Jet lag is the bane of many an airline passenger. It doesn't do your health any serious harm, but it sure can spoil the better part of a vacation or business trip.

But maybe you can lessen the symptoms of jet lag and start having fun sooner. Create your own travel kit of blended-medicine measures, and you might be able to send jet lag packing.

Jet lag results from a disruption of your body's internal clock, the mechanism that regulates your sleep/wake cycle. Your internal clock is set to the time zone in which you live. If you travel into another time zone, your internal clock has to adjust itself.

Normally, this internal process runs well, like clockwork. But problems can arise when you change time zones rapidly, as you do when you travel by plane.

Your internal clock can't reset itself fast enough. Until it catches up, you feel out of sorts.

That's jet lag.

Most people develop jet lag only when they cross three or more time zones. Virtually everyone feels it after transoceanic flights between the United States and Europe or Asia.

Until your internal clock synchronizes with the new time zone, you're likely to experience fatigue, irritability, and mental fogginess-the classic jet lag symptoms. You may also be bothered by sleep problems, as your body's sleep/wake cycle is temporarily disrupted.

Even if you do nothing to treat these symptoms, jet lag eventually goes away on its own. You'll definitely be better off, however, if you take steps to minimize the effects of "time travel."

Here's what you can do.

Best Choices

Nutrition

Count your liquid assets. Even mild dehydration can make you feel mentally fuzzy and out of sorts, aggravating jet lag. So drink plenty of water and juices while flying, advises William Dement, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Stanford University Sleep Disorders Clinic and chairperson of the National Commission on Sleep Disorders Research.

Eat light for a day or two. Your digestive system is tied to your internal clock. Stick with light meals of easily digestible foods such as fruits, breads, and salads, recommends Stanley Coren, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver.

Steer clear of spicy cuisine. For a few days after arriving in your destination, avoid eating spicy foods close to bedtime, Dr. Dement says. They disrupt sleep, which will only make you more tired.

Supplements

Minimize discomfort with melatonin. A hormone produced in your brain, melatonin plays a key role in resetting your internal clock. Many studies have shown that melatonin can speed recovery from jet lag.

Melatonin works best when you take it at specific times and coordinate its use with exposure to sunlight, says Alfred Lewy, M.D., Ph.D., professor of psychiatry and director of the sleep laboratory at Oregon Health Sciences University in Portland.

If you're flying west, he suggests taking a O.5-milligram dose of melatonin the moment you wake up on the day before your departure. Do the same the day you travel and the day after you arrive. On the second and third days after your arrival, take a dose of melatonin an hour after waking up. If you can, set aside time in the afternoons to head outdoors for some sun.

If you're flying east, Dr. Lewy suggests taking a 0.5-milligram dose of melatonin at about 3:00 P.M. on the day before your departure and the day you travel. The day after your arrival, take a dose of melatonin at 3:00 P.M. on the "old time." So if you flew from Los Angeles to Philadelphia, 3:00 old time would be 6:00 new time. On days two and three after your arrival, take a dose of melatonin an hour earlier than on day one of your arrival. Try to get some sun during the morning hours.

Exercise

Wake up, work out. Exercise helps reset your internal clock. So try to squeeze in some physical activity on the first morning after you arrive in your destination. "Calisthenics, aerobics, even running in place for 10 minutes can help," Dr. Coren says.

Have fun in the sun. If possible, head outdoors for your workout. "Exposing yourself to sunlight is one of the best ways to reset your internal clock," says Dr. Coren.

Home Remedies

Stock up on Zzzs. Jet lag hits harder if you arrive at the airport tired. "Forget the bon voyage party," Dr. Coren says. "Get a full night's sleep before your trip:" For most adults, that means at least 7 hours of shut-eye.

Change your bedtime. Before your departure, when you sleep can be as important as how long you sleep. "Determine the number of time zones that you'll be crossing, then count back an equal number of days from your departure date," advises Anne Simons, M.D. "If you're flying east, go to bed and get up 1 hour earlier every day until you leave. If you're flying west, go to bed and get up 1 hour later every day. This technique presets your internal clock, so when you finally arrive in your destination, your body should already be on destination time."

Pretend you're already there. If you're wearing a watch, reset it to destination time while you're waiting for take off. Then during your flight, eat and sleep according to the new time.

Or stay on home time. If you're making a quick trip across time zones, consider staying on your home time, Dr. Simons suggests.

Improve your odds of snoozing. If you plan to sleep while flying, book a window seat, suggests travel medicine specialist Samuel Shelanski, M.D. That way, your row-mates won't disturb you when they get in and out of their seats. Also, pack earplugs and a sleep mask in your carry-on in order to block out noise and light.

Arrive in the late afternoon. For reasons that remain a mystery, your internal clock has less trouble adjusting itself if you schedule your arrival for late afternoon. Seasoned flyers follow this rule of thumb: Travel east, fly early; travel west, fly late.

Skip the in-flight drinks. Alcohol is dehydrating and intoxicating, and it disrupts sleep-which makes jet lag worse.

Be careful with caffeine. On transoceanic flights, go easy on caffeine if you're scheduled to arrive at night, Dr. Simons says. Otherwise, it can keep you awake while you should be sleeping, so your body can't adjust to local time.

Other Good Choices

Homeopathy

Relieve symptoms with Arnica. The primary homeopathic treatment for jet lag is Arnica, says homeopath Dana Ullman. "It's the medicine of choice for shock and traumatic injury," he explains. "Jet lag isn't an injury, but it's a shock to the system."

Other homeopathic medicines can also relieve jet lag. Ullman recommends Gelsemium for jet lag that causes extreme fatigue. For jet lag that causes stomach distress, he suggests Ipecacuanha. If you feel dizzy, you may need Cocculus, he says. A homeopath can analyze your symptoms and prescribe the right medicine for you.

Chinese Medicine

Press away stress. Acupuncture treatment by a professional acupuncturist before departure and after arrival can prevent the stress that leads to jet lag, says Efrem Korngold, O.M.D., L.Ac. If you prefer a self-help approach, try acupressure. Apply steady, penetrating finger pressure to each of the following points for 3 minutes.

• Liver 3, situated on top of your foot in the webbing between your big toe and second toe
• Large Intestine 4, located on the back of your hand where the bones of your thumb and index finger meet
• Extra Point Yin Tang, located just above the bridge of your nose, exactly between your eyebrows