Causes, Symptoms and Home Remedies for Jetlag
Causes, Symptoms and Home Remedies for Jetlag
Jet lag occurs because the body is reacting to a change in the schedule of normal activities. People experiencing jet lag have a difficult time maintaining their internal, routine sleep-wake pattern in their new location, because external stimuli, like sunshine and local timetables, dictate a different pattern. For this reason, one can feel lethargic one moment and excited the next. The result is that we feel excessively sleepy during the day or wide-awake at night. People may experience jet lag in varying degrees.
In general, the severity of jet lag symptoms is directly related to the number of time zones crossed by a flight. Jet lag symptoms typically last longer following eastward flights. Flying west results in early morning awakenings, whereas flying east usually results in difficulty initiating sleep. All age groups are susceptible, but individuals over the age of 50 are more likely to develop jet lag than those under the age of 30. Also, individual susceptibility tends to vary considerably and it is possible that pre-existing sleep deprivation will intensify jet lag.
Jet lag is a unique sleep disorder because its onset is not necessarily caused by abnormal sleep patterns, like insomnia. Travelers who sleep normally prior to transmeridian travel is not immune to jet lag. The symptoms result when a person's internal clock attempts to acclimate to a new external environment. This acclimation involves circadian rhythms that, among other functions, are associated with the body's management of sleep.
Days 11 through 13 marked the treatment period of the study, during which the participants slept in the lab in individual, dark, temperature-controlled bedrooms. Each afternoon, each person received either 0.5 or 3.0 mg of melatonin or matching placebo. The study ended with a final phase assessment on day 14. When people are without clocks in a compartment that is completely closed to sunlight, most of them fall into a circadian cycle of about 25 hours. Every morning the sunlight resets the cycle, stimulating the leading chemicals and thus compensating for the difference between the 24 hour day and the 25 hour innate rhythm.
Jet Lag Symptoms and Causes:
Environmental Factors
Environmental factors are a key cause of jet lag symptoms. The cabin's dry recycled air contributes to dehydration, which can lead to lowered immune system, headaches, and sore throats. At high altitudes, the cabin's air pressure is far greater than normal, causing other symptoms of jet lag, including circulation issues such as swelling and fatigue.
Physical Factors
Airplane seating, even in first class, is not exactly conducive to getting up and working out. Many travelers fall into the trap of sitting in their seat for their entire flight; this constricts proper circulation and adds to symptoms of jet lag such as fatigue and lethargy.
Mental/Emotional Factors
For many people, flying is an anxiety-filled situation from start to finish. Stress and anxiety can lead to poor-quality sleep, exacerbating jet lag symptoms and worsening the travel experience. In-flight issues such as turbulence can increase anxiety, making it difficult to relax. This results in a draining experience that can lead to physical and mental fatigue, as well as other jet lag symptoms.
Beverage Factors
The old adage of "You are what you eat" is even more accurate when it comes to air travel. Because the air cabin is a naturally dehydrating environment, dehydrating drinks such as alcohol or caffeine will magnify jet lag symptoms.
Radiation Factors
At cruising altitudes of 39,000 ft., there is less atmosphere to protect you from high-energy radiation. The sun emits many types of waves including UV, Infrared, Beta, and Gamma. One popular theory states that cosmic or gamma radiation further exacerbates jet lag symptoms. Some studies have shown that cosmic radiation can damage cells in the human body as well as suppress the immune system, heightening symptoms of jet lag.
Home Remedies for Jetlag
As mentioned earlier that jetlag is not a disease, it is a condition which almost every passenger experiences after a journey through different time zone. Given below are some the useful suggestions and effective remedies to recover from jetlag.
Any person, who is going for air travel, should know well in advance that what is the climatic condition and time zone of the place, where they are landing. By this, it will become easier to set lifestyle according to the new timings for some day before flight. This way the body will become used to of the new environment.
Also people may adjust the timing of their wrist watch according to the place they are landing in. Work according to the new timing. Initially, it will be little difficult and may sound silly to others, but later on when you land up in a new place, your body already would have become used to of the new time zone.
Given below are some important things to remember before boarding a plane.
Do not overeatthis is really very important, as you have to sit for long hours in the plane and the food will not digest completely. This may cause acidity, indigestion, vomiting, etc. Another thing is that you cannot move in a plane hence eat little. Protein- or carbohydrate-rich foods are most preferable as it will help in proper sleep during flight.
Avoid alcoholthis is also very important that you should not drink alcohol or any other hard drinks. Excess consumption of alcohol slows down the metabolic activity, dries and chokes the throat, severe headache, nervousness, mood swing etc.
Drink water before and after the flight. Do not take too much water on board. Once your plane reaches higher altitude, you will experience frequent urination and this will trouble you a lot. One of the useful home remedies for jetlag.
Take proper rest. Once you are in the plane, make yourself comfortable, stretch your legs as much as you can, cover yourself properly with soft blanket, and sleep. Do not panic, when you are traveling as pilots and other air members are there to look after you. Person who experiences excess jetlag are also advised to take sleep before boarding the plane. This is one of the good home remedies for jetlag.
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Wear proper fitted clothes, comfortable shoes, and soft socks. People suffering from excess vomiting tendency should keep lozenges and sweet candies with them.
Yoga
Yoga is one of the best remedy to cope up with the jetlag. It has a deep and positive effect to the body and mind of a person suffering from jetlag. Some shoulder-related asanas and surya namaskara, and breathing exercises are considered as best yoga for treating jetlag. These yogas help in restoring energy and helping the body to adjust quickly in the new environment.
The benefits of surya namaskara are that it supports the proper functioning of body system. It keeps the respiratory system, heart, and lungs, all in good health. Person suffering from jetlag faces acidity and other stomach-related problems, as the metabolic activities weaken due to different time zone. Surya namaskara helps in re-building the digestive system. Similarly, shoulder-related asanas supports the respiratory system, blood circulation, proper functioning of heart and lungs. It makes the mind active, stress-free, and mentally strong. There are other yoga asanas that help in relaxing the body after a long flight, speed up body activity.
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