> Health and Disease > Travel Health

Most of us suffer jet lag on long-haul flights, even experienced flight professionals. A 1998 Aviation, Space, and Environment Medicine survey of flight attendants on transoceanic routes found 96 percent suffer symptoms of fatigue, disorientation, and broken sleep for up to a week.

Taking simple and sensible steps before and during flight, plus natural methods of relief, can relieve

symptoms so that you’re full of energy when you arrive.

Preflight Preparation

The body’s circadian rhythm, our inbuilt clock, takes time to adapt after traveling rapidly across time zones. Gradually adjusting sleep and wake times to those of the destination time zone before you depart can reduce jet-lag symptoms. In a 2003 study at the Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory of St. Luke’s Medical Center in Chicago, 28 participants advanced their sleep schedule by one hour each day for three days. This small advance reduced the degree of adjustment required after travel east, which causes more jet lag than flying west.

Other aspects of air travel, such as stress and fatigue, also worsen the effects of jet lag. Both mind and body should be ready for travel. Instead of leaving things to the last minute, plan your time so that you get a good night’s sleep before departure and adequate exercise in the preceding days. Maintain multivitamin supplements and immune support to avoid preflight sickness, such as flu or colds. Vitamin supplements will also help your immune system fight the germs, parasites, and bacteria you breathe in while sitting in the closed ventilation environment of an aircraft.

Additionally, plan a daytime flight, which most travellers find causes less jet lag because they get a night’s sleep on the ground at either end.

In-Flight Strategies

On board the aircraft, dry air causes dehydration, leading to headaches and physical stress. Drink plenty of juice and water, and avoid alcohol, coffee, and tea, which worsen dehydration.
Take along nutritious meal replacements, such as protein powders with greens to sustain blood sugar for long periods over the flight, invigorate the body, and give you an excuse to avoid the sugars and fats in airline food.

Aromatherapy, employing essential oils, such as lavender (eases anxiety), geranium (stimulates the adrenals), and rosemary (banishes drowsiness so that you stay awake in flight and sleep better after arrival) is most helpful when travelling.

Blindfolds, earplugs, neck rests, blow-up pillows, and noise-reducing headphones can all keep you comfortable while flying. Kick off your shoes to ease pressure on the feet (some airlines provide sock-like slippers, and many travellers carry their own). Place your feet on an adjoining seat, if it’s empty.

Some travellers take sleeping pills, believing that long, deep sleep in-flight will alleviate jet lag. This is both wrong and dangerous. Sitting still in a comatose state for long periods causes the blood to gravitate to the leg, increasing the risk of blood clots (deep vein thrombosis), which can be fatal according to a report in The Lancet, as far back as 1988. You need some leg movement periodically in-flight. Walk up and down the aisle occasionally and do small twisting and stretching exercises in your seat to reduce swelling of the legs and feet. Get off the plane when permitted at stopovers and take a walk.

On extended stopovers, take a shower if available, to freshen the body and get the muscles and circulation going again. Trans-Pacific pilots often shower in Hawaii to help them recover faster from the post-flight effects of jet lag.

Alternative Remedies

Some travellers reduce symptoms with homeopathic jet lag tablets, combination products with low dosages of Arnica montana (helps to alleviate injury and relieve joint and muscle pain), Bellis perennis (alleviates muscle soreness and reduces vein congestion), Chamomile (relieves stress and sleepless), Ipecac (alleviates dehydration and nausea), and Lycopodium (reduces anxiety). Look for them at your health food store.

Also look for herbal tonics that boost energy levels; try ginseng, astragalus, licorice, and Ashwagandha or Indian ginseng. To promote sleep on arrival, choose valerian, skullcap, passionflower, chamomile, and wood betony.

Other travellers choose bright light therapy. Full-spectrum light boxes upon arrival, or simply staying outside in the daylight, can reduce jet-lag symptoms. A 2002 study at the University of California minimized the effects of eastward travel with critically timed bright light, effectively used when travelers arrive after the sun has gone down and natural daylight cannot work its wonders.

Adjust your biorhythms, maintain your regular health routine, and get outside when you arrive - you’ll be ready to go wherever your travels take you.

Craig Andrews combines his love of travelling with his interest in journalism.

Source: alive #260, June 2004