walter

I leaving O"Hare at 4:30 pm and arriving in Germany at approx. 7:00 am. I only have a week so I do not want to spend any more time than needed getting used to time change etc. Any suggestions on what to do to arrive in Germany "ready to go"?

Jess

When traveling to Europe, I take the red eye from JFK. I take one otc sleeping pill with the dinner, put on a sleep mask, pop in some earplugs and I'm out until the flight attendant wakes me up. I even slept through a tour-group filled flight to Barcelona this way. Also, for a day or two beforehand, try to change your eating habits. Have dinner late, at 8 or 9, and adjust all of your meals accordingly. Keep in mind that your liver adjusts last, so don't do any heavy drinking until the end of your trip. And use an alarm clock or wake up call to make sure you don't sleep away the morning.

Rex

Although I agree with the principle that Jess cites - - I very much disagree with eating dinner "late" at 8 or 9 pm - - that's 2 or 3 am (or 4, if its 9 pm, Chicago time) in Europe.<BR><BR>I recommend getting up 1 hour early (i.e., 6 or earlier) the day before departure, and 2 hours earlier the day OF departure - - i.e., 5 or earlier. Along with that, try go get to bed earlier (much easier to preach than to practice) amd eat dinner earlier - - a dinner at 4 pm Chicago time is like 11 pm Europe time.<BR><BR>And much has been said of eating almost nothing (fruit and water ok exceptions) from noon on departure day until you see the sun rise over the Europe landfall line. Yes, you do get hungry; you just have to tell yourself: sleep, sleep, sleep. That's what the plane ride is for. The flight attendants will serve your "supper" along with your breakfast if you act nicely. You might need to make it clear you will take anything that's left over, and you do not expect to have it re-warmed for you at that hour.<BR><BR>Keep going that first day, pushing yourself to exhaustion, and don't be surprised if you want to collapse about 7 pm that first day.<BR><BR>As a corollary, you may find yourself waking up at 3 or 4 am that first wake-up day (day #2 of your trip) in Europe. Use this time to write postcards, journal entries, or get out and walk the city - - nothing better to learn about Europe than to see a city (or even a little town) wake up and come to life.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Jess

Sorry, did the time-change thing wrong in my head. I mean to say, because Europeans eat late, you should adjust for that before you go. My bad.

jetlag

I don't see you having too much of a problem.What a good time to be leaving at 4:30pm and arriving at 7am.I find it hard when the flights leave much later in the evening and get in super early.I think you can trick your body into just going on normally the first day.The 2 worst things are to drink too much alcohol/eat all the food on the flight and then take a nap when you get to the hotel-as mentioned ,just keep going! Go to bed early that first night and you should be fine.<BR>I suffer more on the way back-could be fatigue from doing too much or sad that the trip is over!

top

to the top, for walter...<BR>

adams

I read somewhere that it is better to take a prescription sleeping pill on a redeye flight than an OTC one. Because the OTC pills are antihistamines, they may tend to make you sleepy into the next day, while there are prescribed pills that would not do that. Ask your dr.

Grandma Deedee

Daylight is supposedly what resets your circadian (sp?) rhythm. We arrived in Heidelberg at noonish. We immediately set off for the castle and roamed around outside. We forced ourselves to stay up until 8 pm which was 11 am our home time (essentially staying up all our usual night).<BR><BR>Since we flew first class with all the amenities---great food, service, real Champagne, individual movie---we did not do what you are supposed to do on the flight. We ate, drank and stayed up! <BR><BR>We were adjusted by the next day. A little tired, that's all. And we attended the the wine festival in Bad Durkheim the next day which was less than an hour from Heidelberg.<BR><BR>

John

Walter, If you are allowed, per your ticket conditions, change your departure time to as late as possible. On a 4:30 pm departure you will probably be awake for the entire flight; when you arrive in Germany at 7:00 am it will be midnight back in Chicago, probably a little past your bedtime. It is going to be a nasty few days getting adjusted. <BR>If you can't change your reservation, then stay up for most of the night before your flight so you can sleep on the plane. You don't have to wake up early, you can stay up very late; just make sure you deprive yourself of sleep the night before so you can sleep on the plane. You want to get a minimum of four hours of sleep on the flight so you can stay up till after dinner on your first day, with no naps at all during the day.<BR>Contrary to all other opinions on the subject, I drink on the plane. I have a couple of neat vodkas before dinner and a demi of red wine with dinner, preferably the pasta if it is offered, and a coffee. That relaxes me and I can doze off easily for a sound sleep. Breakfast service will probably wake you a couple of hours before landing. Load up on orange juice to rehydrate yourself. <BR>Let your stewardess know you do not want to be awakened for duty free shopping. At the times you are traveling, especially if in summer, it may be mostly daylight during the flight; bring an eye mask to block the light (in first and business class they will probably give you a travel kit with mask and flight slippers included). If you are in tourist class bring a pair of bulky wool socks, take off your shoes and put those wool socks on. Grab a pillow and blanket as soon as you board the plane because there are usually not enough to go around. Some planes get pretty cold and it's nice to have an oversized sweater with you to stay comfortable. Visit my page at<BR>www.enjoy-europe.com/cds/germany.htm for specific info on Germany that may help your travels. You'll be "ready to go."<BR>

Sam

I asked flight attendants how they manage on overseas flights. Two told me they take Ambien with no after-effects. I occasionally use it, too. Same results. Sam.

Ron

There is a good book on the subject--"Overcoming Jet Lag," by Ehret and Scanlon

elvira

Order a special meal for dinner, like a vegetarian plate or fruit plate (call the airline and find out what they have). If you usually have a cocktail before dinner or wine with dinner, have it on the plane. DON'T get a drink because you think it will help you sleep.<BR><BR>Have a 'kit' that fits in the seat pocket or loops over the tray table lock with things you'll need during the night: eyedrops (just saline, nothing else), nasal spray (just saline, nothing else), packet of Kleenex, a few hard candies (like Vitamin C drops), eyemask, earplugs, booties, a couple of handwipes (like the kind you get when you get lobster at a restaurant), hand lotion, chapstick, a small bottle with a couple of aspirin/cold tablets/ diarrhea medicine/sleep aid, and a couple of herbal teabags (like chamomile, Sleeptime). After dinner, ask for a cup of hot water and brew your herbal tea. Take a sleep aid (prescription or OTC - just be sure you take it in time for it to wear off at least an hour before landing), put on your booties and eyemask, put in your earplugs, arrange your pillow and blanket, and relax. If you have a watch with an alarm, or a travel alarm, set it for one hour before landing so you have time to get oriented. You'll have to fill out a landing card - ask for it after dinner so you won't have to be awakened when they're passed out. <BR><BR>Have enough euros in your pocket when you land so you can buy something to drink. Don't rush. Get your transportation to your hotel; you might not be able to check in, but the hotel will keep your bags. Head out - plan to do something fairly easy, like a bus tour of the city or a boat ride, do a little shopping (souvenirs, snacks for your room, a newspaper). Eat a light lunch fairly early (noonish). Stroll and wander, visit churches and parks (museums can be hot, which can make you sleepy and fatigued). Have an early dinner (7ish), have a cup of the herbal tea you brought and a sleep aid, then go to bed around 9. You should be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed when you wake up.<BR><BR>oh yeah - enjoy your trip!

steve

Flying from the west coast, flights ususally leave around 9AM, getting to Eurpope at 7AM the next day. I get up earlier for about 3 days prior to the trip - usually getting up a hour earlier each day, so that i get up 3 hours earlier on the day of departure.<BR><BR>I then try to go to sleep on the plane - have never needed a sleeping pill altho my travelling companions have used them.<BR><BR>After getting to the destination, stay awake all day and go to bed at your normal time. I am at 90% the next day.<BR><BR>It is MUCH WORSE going west across the pacific. It took me at least a week to adjust when I went to japan

Jenny

I heard that you could order food prior to boarding, but I have never done that. How does it work? Do you get to order specific food for all your meals on the plane?

Scott

top

Rex

&lt;&lt;It took me at least a week to adjust when I went to japan&gt;&gt;<BR><BR>It's interesting that people use the term jet lag to refer to two phenomena which are related, but separate.<BR><BR>There is first day fatigue - - and its companion, persistent fatigue. I agree with steve that traveling west over an ocean (either) seems to leave me much more tired for the following week. and I think that first day fatigue is what walter wants to minimize. The main strategy is as much restful sleep on the plane as possible.<BR><BR>But I think "jet lag" originally referred to the continuing inability to adjust to normal circadian rhythms, wake/sleep, digestive and otherwise - - persistying several days after arrival. It first came into the language when jets made it possible to cross the atlantic in only 7 or 8 hours, and travelers were perhaps more business-oriented than tourists. they couldn't function normally, especially on a short trip.<BR><BR>I never have that so much after coming home from Europe (nor my one time I flew west over the Pacific). I go to bed early and tend to want to sleep late both, after coming back home from Europe - - it's fatigue, but not necessarily disrupted day/night rhythm.<BR>

John G

Pills are the solution to everything. Take a Valium on the plane to sleep, take 2 diet pills on arrival to wake up. Simple.

Go

One pill makes you smaller<BR>One pill makes you tall<BR><BR>And the ones (you wish) your mother gave you<BR><BR>Would hopefully make no more John Thingorjus on this forum at all...<BR>

Paula

We're flying from Seattle to Malaga in a few weeks and a friend recommended a product called "No Jet Lag" which has worked for her when she flies from here to here home in So. Africa. I haven't tried it before, but purchased some (found it at Trader Joe's--I imagine health food stores or such would carry it). I've also been taking 1 mg of Melatonin for the past few weeks, which I took last time we flew to Europe and it helped (but coming back I was jet lagged). Hope this helps.

Tony Hughes

I tried those jetlag pills and cat say they did anything (vancouver-Glasgow). Sleep late on saturday morning or the first available day off and you'll be fine.