There is a difference between people who are prone to jet lag and those who are not. Before leaving for an overseas trip, check yourself first! You can reduce jet lag by taking precautions before departure, on the plane, and after arriving at your destination. The point is how to adjust the body clock to the local time.
Jet lag is caused by the inability of the body clock to adjust to the local time.
“Jet lag” that accompanies overseas travel. Nearly 90% of international pilots suffer from jet lag. Early morning people, middle-aged and elderly people, nervous and introverted personalities, and eastbound flights are known to cause jet lag.
Morning people, who are good at going to bed early and waking up early in the morning, have an overly regular body clock and are vulnerable to changes in their life rhythms. On the other hand, the body clock of night owls is highly flexible, so it seems that jet lag is less likely to occur.
In the case of middle-aged and elderly people, the quality of sleep often declines with age. In addition, the recovery of the body and mind weakens, so the recovery of symptoms may be delayed and the jet lag may be prolonged.
Jet lag is caused by a discrepancy between your body clock and the local time. It is important to talk, play, or work with people to adjust the body clock. People who are less sociable tend to have less of this social conformity factor, which makes jet lag less likely to heal.
The human body clock is about 25 hours a day, which is one hour longer than the earth’s day. On westbound flights from Japan to Europe, it is easy to adjust the body clock because it is possible to delay it, but on eastbound flights from Japan to the United States, it takes time to adjust the body clock.
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Tips for sleeping and waking up to avoid jet lag
If you don’t get enough sleep before your departure, you will experience more symptoms of jet lag. If you can’t get enough sleep at night, take a nap of no more than 30 minutes between noon and 3pm. From about a week before departure, try to go to bed early and wake up early on eastbound flights, and go to bed and wake up late on westbound flights to bring your body clock closer to the local time.
On an airplane, it is important to sleep according to the local time. If it’s night in the area, I’ll sleep, and I’ll wake up in the morning. Don’t forget to bring earplugs and an eye mask on board if you’re sensitive to the sounds and lights around you. A small amount of alcohol will help you fall asleep faster, but you should be careful as you will get sicker faster on the plane than on the ground.
If you want to stay awake, have some caffeine in your coffee or tea, and walk around the plane without disturbing others. In-flight meals are served according to the local time, so if you eat even a little, it will be easier to adjust your gastrointestinal body clock.
When you arrive at your destination during the day, go outside and expose yourself to strong light to help your body clock adjust. Taking a walk is also effective in relieving drowsiness. If you are really sleepy, take a nap for 2-3 hours. Sleeping too long can interfere with your night’s sleep and delay recovery from jet lag.
If your flight arrives in the evening or later, act according to the local time. If you can’t sleep because you can’t sleep, we recommend taking a lukewarm bath to relax, or drinking an appropriate amount of alcohol with dinner.
The next morning, when you wake up, take a hot shower to help you wake up. Hot water stimulates the sympathetic nervous system and prepares you for an active day.
Please practice the above well and enjoy a comfortable trip.