What is Jet Lag?
Have you ever traveled and felt as if your body could not adjust to the new local time? Did you fall asleep during the day only to lie awake for house at night? Did you feel tired, disoriented and unfocused for days after landing? If so, you have experienced the syndrome known as “jet lag”. What causes jet lag and what can we do to lessen these symptoms? You might want to check out this column before booking your next flight abroad.
Jet leg is a physiological condition caused by an alteration to the body’s biological clock caused by rapid trans-meridian travel on a jet aircraft. Our biological clock, known as the circadian rhythm, is controlled by a tiny part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which activated various body functions such as hunger, thirst and sleep during a 24-hour cycle. It also regulated body temperature, blood pressure and the level a hormones and glucose in the bloodstream. When you travel across several time zones, the body clock will not correspond with the destination time, so it experiences daylight and darkness in conflict with its previously established rhythm. For example, if you travel from Thailand to the U.S., where (on the East Coast of the US) there is a 12-hour time difference, your body, previously set to Thailand time, will think that it is still 11 AM, though the local time in the U.S. is 11 PM. Consequently, you may find it impossible to fall asleep at night. However, crossing one or two time zones (such as traveling from Thailand to Japan) typically does not cause jet lag.
The speed at which the body adjust to the new schedule depends on the individual; some may require several days while others experience little disruption. To help minimize jet lag, you can start by keeping yourself in a good physical condition. Drink lots of fluids during the flight, but avoid alcohol or caffeine, as these things can cause dehydration. Once you have landed, exposure to sunlight during the day also helps your body to reset its internal clock. With these easy steps, you can fight off the jet lag and still have a pleasant trip.