With more and more people traveling again, the time for flights and long trips are also getting popular. Unfortunately, with long travel comes something that also plagues travelers, jet lag. Jet lag is a condition which is called circadian rhythm disruption. Circadian Rhythm is based on sleep cycle, day and night, and other factors. The body tends to rest when the sun is down and be more active when the sun is up. If you are flying from the US eastward like to Europe or Asia, you lose time. Most flights from the US heading east take off at night when the sun is odwn, that way when you arrive it’s almost daytime.
Dr. Nadeem Ahmed, a pulmonologist from OSF Healthcare says that jet lag can be a sleep disruptor. Dr. Ahmed says a lot of people don’t sleep on the plane so when they arrive at their destination, they are often tired from being six to eight hours ahead and the body is trying to catch up. Dr. Ahmed offers some tips for avoiding jet lag including staying hydrated.
Sleep aid can help during long travel but Dr. Ahmed says to take sleep aid with caution and avoid prescription sleep medication while traveling as other options are usually more beneficial.
The direction you travel can also impact potential jet lag. It’s tougher for the body when you fly west as opposed to flying east.
Dr. Ahmed also says that napping on long flights is acceptable but not something you need to have.
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