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| Dear Yahoo!: |
| How do I avoid jet lag? |
Frances
Santa Clara, California |
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| Dear Frances: |
We traveled over to the Yahoo! directory, clicked through to the Travel > Travel Tips and Tools category, and found a great site called Doctor Travel. The good doctor offers several concrete tips for the lagged and weary. To sum up: - If you are making a coast-to-coast flight, try adjusting your bedtime beforehand. Three days before your flight, start staggering your bedtime by an hour so you're on schedule when you arrive.
- If you're flying internationally, think about your flight schedule beforehand. For instance, try to schedule a night flight when you're arriving in the morning.
- Get a good night's sleep before your flight. Most
initial jet-lag symptoms are simply the result of flying fatigue.
- Drink plenty of water on your flight, and try to avoid alcohol and caffeine. They're both diuretics and can dehydrate you quickly.
- Bring whatever you need to help you sleep onboard: eyemasks, neck braces, and slippers. Bring your pajamas. Be completely shameless.
- Try to exercise whenever possible; stretching and walking up and down the aisles will help your circulation.
- Adjust your clock to your destination's time zone to help you get in the right mindset. Start thinking about your schedule ahead of time to avoid any surprises.
- After you've arrived, try to get some sunlight in the mornings to help adjust your body's internal clock. Exercise to stay awake, and try to avoid naps.
- Pills of any kind should be treated with caution. They can do more harm than good.
So there you have it. Any further questions? The fine folks at Health A to Z may be able to help you out.
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