Coping With Jetlag
 

Hi... <BR>No one has really talked about this one. Any great tips on how to cope with jet lag? Travelling for instance from the US to Ireland is a 10 and 1/2 hour flight. What can one do to make it easier on ones body?Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. <BR> <BR>Thanks, Phyllis

Well, heres what I'm planning to do, when we go to Italy. San Francisco to Italy. <BR> <BR>We leave on a Saturday at 3:30. So, I think I'm going to try to stay awake on Friday night as late as possible, and wake up as early, so I will be tired. Then, I'm going to IMMEDIATELY set my watch to Italy time, which will put me 9 hours ahead (bedtime). I'll try to sleep as much as I can like at that time (taking Tylenol PM will help). Hopefully, that will help to get me on the right track. If not, I'll just be tired for a few days!

What seems to work for me after an early arrival is to stay up until about 2 or 3 p.m. and then take a 2 hour nap and make sure I have an alarm clock or the hotel wakes me up. I get dressed and have dinner and then a full night's sleep. Works fine for me, but everyone is different. <BR> <BR>Another suggestion.... I haven't tried it, but friends of mine take a sleeping pill when they get on the plane, have dinner and then conk out. They swear they wake up refreshed and have enough energy for a full day of sightseeing upon arrival.

Actually, there are many threads on this topic, which you should be able to find if you search "jet lag". <BR> <BR>I find that melatonin before bed helps me sleep through the night the night before I leave and the first couple of nights after I arrive. On the day of arrival, I set my watch to local time on the plane, take a walk outside and try to stay up until a reasonable local bedtime. Minimal jetlag as a result.

Phyllis: <BR> <BR>10.5 hours is an absolute horror. If you can sleep on the flight, then avoid coffee, alcohol, heavy food (order a veg meal). I take either Valerian (just makes you sleep) or Melatonin (if it is available in your area - it has been banned in Canada. It, supposedly, adjusts your "clock" ... but check out side effects before you use it) to sleep. <BR> <BR>Are you landing in Dublin or Shannon? (I assume it will be before 0900 local time)? I would resist driving (always a challenge in Ireland, particularly Dublin). <BR> <BR>I like to unpack, shower, walk and then have a long and leisurely lunch, glass of wine, plan the holiday. <BR> <BR>In the afternoon, treat yourself to a massage or facial (book ahead - in Dublin, try Butterfields (?). Then drag yourself back to the hotel (pick up a sandwich on your way back to the hotel (just in case), pull the curtains and catch a couple of hours sleep. Set the alarm for 8 pm just in case. When you wake up, shower and decide on whether you have the sandwich, room service or a great meal. Have an early night, if you can (Valerian helps). ... <BR> <BR>Have a full night's sleep - but don't set the alarm .....wake up when you must...(I find it's about 9 am on the first day ... those of you from the West Coast may find it later), and have a good walking day in the fresh air (it helps). <BR> <BR>Second day - you should be OK. <BR>

For us the outbound is a piece of cake, dinner, a few bottles of wine (airline size) pop a Nyquil, don eyeshade and earplugs and crap out. The return is a problem, whole flight in daylight, vacation over, it's a psychological downer.

Have a little kit in your carryon: eyeshade, earplugs, kleenex, saline nose spray, Vitamin C candies, contact lens stuff, handwipes and/or waterless soap, herbal 'sleepytime' teabags, Tylenol-PM (or the ilk), aspirin (or the ilk) and/or sinus tablets - I put a couple of each in a pillbox. Just plop the little kit in the seat pouch so you've got everything you'll need in one place. Eat a light meal (even if you get the regular meal, nothing says you have to clean your plate), have wine or beer with your meal if that's your usual thing, be sure you have a pillow and a blanket. Get yourself comfortable before takeoff. Go to sleep right after the meal (or, eat before getting on the plane and skip the meal). A couple of hours before landing they'll serve a little breakfast; sleep through it or wake up for it, whichever feels comfortable. On landing, get to your hotel. If you can check in, great, if not leave your bags with the front desk and take a walk. Check out the neighborhood, where's the closest public transportation, get a map, buy tickets (what I call maintenance work), eat lunch (if you've arrived in time) then an early dinner. NO COFFEE (take this from someone who blew it last week) after dinner. Turn in between 8 and 9. I've never done well with naps, but some people do, so go back to your hotel after lunch for a nap, then head out again for some easy meandering. A bus or boat tour is a good thing to do if you're feeling perky enough, not too strenuous but stimulating enough to keep you awake until bedtime. Set your alarm or leave a wakeup call for the next morning; if I wake up too early, I stay in bed, even if I'm wide awake so my body gets used to being horizontal at the correct time. And don't cheat on sleep; if you normally need 8 hours, then make sure you get at least that. It's real easy to stay up too late or get up too early and tucker yourself out.

If you are flying overseas on a 747, try your best to get a seat in either row 68, 69, or 70 along the sides of the aircraft. These seats are two-across, not three or five. They serve you dinner first and the seats are close to the aft toilets. They have more room between them and the outside wall of the aircraft (easier for stowing extra stuff). Drink no booze. <BR>Drink no coffee. Drink plenty of water. Skip the desserts. Set your watch on destination time. Recline your seat back, put on eyeshades, pull on one of those skimpy little blankets, use an inflatable neck pillow. Free your mind of all exciting thoughts. Breathe in and out slowly, saying to yourself "breath in, breath out" until you doze off. Most of the time, this helps.

If you are 13 you will have no problems. We suffered while our 13 year slept great and felt great over and back and while we were there. Ahh, to be young again. Seriously, the sleeping pill (or a valium) idea is a good one. It will help you sleep on the plane. However, no matter what you take or do, try to stay awake, go outside and walk around on the day of arrival until bedtime that evening. By the following day you just might feel better.

I solved this problem completely by getting up 1 hour earlier and to bed 1 hour earlier each day for 3 days prior to my depature. On my day of departure I was up at 3AM which was 10AM in the time zone to which I was traveling. I boarded the plane at 5:30 took a sleep aid and started sleeping at 7 PM(2AM in my arrival zone). I didn't experience any jet lag. <BR> <BR>It is known that you should use light exposure to help with jet lag on your day of arrival. If you're traveling 6 zones or less to the east you should get 30 minutes of bright sun light when you wake in the morning. If you're traveling more than 6 zones to the east, get bright light in the middle of the day. Avoid the morning.

I read an earlier comment about drinking wine. You should avoid all alcohol. It interupts your sleep, not to mention dehydrating your body.

I use a homeopathic called NO jetlag. Internet http://www.nojetlag.com. Very few healthfood store carry them and i live in new york city. I use it when I fly to asia. It's great when i arrive at 8am and have to pretend to be awake and functional for the rest of the day.

<BR> <BR>upupupupupupupupup

Upsydaisy- It's hard to imagine that you waited a whole 16 minutes before topping this post. What a wonderful service you are performing for the rest of us to find subjects that we really want but are too dumb to know it.

<BR> <BR>Ah, you flatter me! And you're very welcome!

upsydaisy - It's time for your milk and cookies.

I was reading, scrolling down, and down, and then finally, I saw it. Someone else besides me wants to mention "No Jetlag." It is truly wonderful. I live in Los Angeles, it can be found at most large travel stores and health stores. You chew a tablet before takeoff, then one every four hours at the most. It worked wonders!! Three of the flight attendants on Air Lingus told me they take it all the time - works great.

The easiest, and most effective thing to do is simply tough out that first day, and don't go to sleep until at least 10 p.m. Don't take a nap in the middle of the day. Take a shower when you get into your accommodations, and the get moving. <BR> <BR>I've traveled to Europe more than 30 times, and have tried everything. This method is the most effective, and I don't have to take any sort of drug to help me through (okay, so maybe 5 or 6 beers that first night!).

The responses keep getting better and better. I did purchase the pills called "Jet Lag" for my husband and myself to use. I have never travelled to Europe and just flying from the west coast to the east coast here in the US took a lot out of me. I guess I don't acclimate very well. I don't want my trip to Ireland to be spoiled by not feeling very well. thanks again everyone.

I tried No Jet-Lag last month and noticed very little difference. I think the best thing you can do is stay hydrated and rest all you can, and perhaps take a short nap (I don't allow myself to lie down) when you check into your hotel. <BR> <BR>The new Airbus 330's are wonderful for creating your own little cocoon, what with seat's personal video and audio center.