Jet Lag Syndrome
…sleeping in another time zone!
The second most common sleep disorder is Jet Lag Syndrome which typically occurs when you travel
quickly across several time zones.
Your body is pushed out of sync and your sleep time habits upset because the time shifts, without your body
being able to respond.
Technically the term ‘Jet Lag Syndrome’ needs to involve a flight that is more than 3 hours in length and covers
at least two time zones.
Traveling westwards, which stretches your day length, tends to have a lesser effect than traveling eastwards,
which would shrink your day. The equation is quite simple. Time change= light change=sleep/awake time change=upset
circadian rhythm….your body cannot make these changes very quickly. The result is tiredness from the trip, stress
and then an upset time/light day. This often means the onset of a variety of symptoms.
Symptoms of jet lag syndrome vary from person to person and on the length of the flight. It will also depend on
whether the flight was overnight or through a normal daytime. Excessive tiredness (and the accompanying
irritability) is the obvious symptom but others alone or in combination could include:
…dehydration and the accompanying minor disorientation
…loss of appetite
…headaches and light headedness
…nausea, upset stomach and vomiting
…mood changes including depression
…anxiety and panic attacks
Women are affected by jet lag syndrome more often than men, which is connected to the estrogen factor that
is triggered during the normal night time/daytime rhythms of the body. Studies have shown that returning to a
normal body rhythm after a long flight with multiple time zone changes can take up to a week.
 Often those that are prone to jet lag syndrome, or
those traveling over multiple time zones, are prescribed sedatives by their doctor with the idea that if they
sleep through the flight they will not be concerned about the tiredness factor on arrival.
Unfortunately this doesn’t take care of the time changes your body has to make on arrival but it does avoid the
excessive tiredness and give you a good chance to get up and running.
Others take sedatives to force the body into the sleep times of their destination. I personally find this helps
but it is still a slow process. Again we are talking as much as a week to get into the new rhythm.
There are several suggestions however, to help with this situation of a long, multiple time zone flight:
…for a planned short time trip, stay on your 'home time'
routine.
…if you are traveling west to east go to bed progressively earlier days before the trip and do the opposite if
you are traveling east to west.
…leave a few days earlier if you are going to an important meeting or conference…you need at least 48 ours to
re-synchronize.
…try and do business at your normal peak time…based on your normal ‘home time-clock.’
…food, alcohol and tranquilizers all affect your sleep patters so use them very sparingly during the first
three days of take off.
…always rest for 2 days before traveling.
…travel with noise reduction earphones, eye covering and neck support…minimize the actual travel
stress.
It’s always very difficult to pin-point the actual severity of Jet Lag Syndrome because it
affectspeople in so many different ways and there are such a variety of variables to consider.There are no magic
formulas or quick fix medications because nothing can change your natural body sleep clock except time itself.
We do know it produces altered moods and errors in minor complex motor skills. There are things you can do to
alleviate the changes but the time zones will still exist…the quicker you adjust to the new one the
better!
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