Jet Lag is Real!

Most of you probably know that my wife and I took our twentieth-anniversary trip to Fiji recently because I posted pictures and videos along the way. Fortunately, after we arrived and got our first good night’s rest, it was normal activities for both of us. We felt refreshed, and my routine of getting up early and working out wasn’t affected at all. I cannot say the same for our return. It’s been three days now, and neither of us has returned to our regular routines. I’ve slept late every day, had even worse insomnia than usual, headaches, etc. So…I thought I would research jet lag because clearly I was not giving it the respect it deserves!

Here’s what I discovered:

Traveling there versus traveling back affected us less because traveling west ‘prolonged’ our body clock’s experience of its normal day-night cycle (the normal tendency of the body clock in most of us is slightly longer than 24 hours).
The condition is especially prevalent when traveling three or more time zones.
The official definition is when a person travels across more than three time zones by plane, the body’s “internal clock” (or circadian rhythm) needs time to adjust to the new sleep and wake cycles at the new destination.
The term “jet lag” was first used in a 1966 Los Angeles Times article by Horace Suttorn, who described it as a “debility not un-akin to a hangover.” He explained the syndrome by stating, “Jet Lag derives from the simple fact that jets travel so fast they leave your body rhythms behind.”
Originally, it was called “time zone syndrome,” which was replaced by jet lag in the 1960s.
The cures have been rather inventive in the past. Travelers have turned to everything from taping plant seeds to acupressure points behind their ears to swallowing Viagra. I think I will pass on trying Viagra.
It’s all about our circadian rhythm or body clock. The pure science behind it is that these clocks are controlled by the hormone melatonin, which is produced by the master clock when it gets dark to make us feel drowsy, and controls our body temperature when we sleep. When we fly to a different time zone (or work night shifts), all the clocks in our body go out of sync – or, to use the technical term, “desynchronise.”
Symptoms of jet lag include: Difficulty falling asleep (insomnia) – check, drowsiness during the day – check, Headaches – check, lack of focus or concentration – check, y’all are lucky I can put two words together to write this blog, extreme tiredness (fatigue) – check, a general feeling of being “off” or not like yourself – check and especially true for my wife, upset stomach – check, mood changes, like irritability – you’ll have to ask my wife about this one!
Studies state that people over 60 may be more affected (of course that’s true). Using caffeine or alcohol can increase the effects (well damn…wish I’d known that beforehand).
Possible treatments and ways to diminish the effects include: getting outside during daylight hours to jump-start alertness because light helps your body recognize it’s time to be awake. Alternately, artificial light sources (like a lamp) can offer similar benefits; getting on the sleep-wake schedule at your destination quickly may help with your symptoms; sleeping on the plane helps your body adjust faster to a new time zone (yeah…good luck with that); Choosing foods your body knows how to digest (for a day or two) may help ease nausea; drinking plenty of water can combat the effects of dehydration after a long flight.; avoid caffeine and alcohol, which can make you more dehydrated; set your watch to the new time zone before you leave and try to adjust to the destination’s time schedule before you leave; stick with exercise routines; especially If you fly east, take melatonin nightly in the new time zone until you adjust; eat a big breakfast after arrival.

Normally, I like to incorporate my personal experiences in books. A new book that is coming out next year, titled The Love Demand, is set in a tropical region of the world, but I did not include anything about jet lag. Too bad I wrote this before my experience traveling more than three time zones! Perhaps there will be another book that affords me the opportunity to slip this in! Since I didn’t get much of a chance to market my latest release while in Fiji…I’d love to remind y’all about it. The Next Generation series is now finished, and I hope you will click on the links below to check it out!

Love Sins Available Now!