A Quick Jet Lag Solution

Jet lag can be a major drag for people who travel long distances. It can interrupt concentration that is needed for meetings with clients overseas and can cause you to feel absolutely lousy. Travelers sometimes try to deal with the problem is by partaking of drugs purchased from a drug store or prescribed by your doctor. Others will try to adjust their sleep patterns before they leave on their trip. Others just think it is in your head and deal with it just waiting for it to go away. New studies point in another direction, possibly better, that may fight jet lag; try fasting prior and during your trip.

Scientists are already aware that we have internal clocks located at the liver, heart, brain and additional tissue that is responsible for daily routes for our bodily functions and processes that may include blood pressure, temperature, wakefulness and hunger. These are called circadian clocks and are coordinated by tiny clusters of cells located within the brain that are called suprachiasmatic nucleus. These respond to dark and light. When you travel across several time regions the body gets thrown out of sync and results in symptoms called jet lag.

Symptoms include insomnia,fatigue, headache, diminished concentration and nausea. Every time zone that you cross causes you a day to adjust to the new time and let your dark/light schedule get coordinated with the local time in your new location.

Colleagues with Dr. Saper at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in the city of Boston actually believe that the lack of food may adjust your body rhythms quicker than dark and light. They have identified another master clock with mice that is located within a group of cells in the brain called dorsomedial nucleus. These cells take charge when there is a scarcity of food. Scientists feel that sleep and food both are essential for our survival so they feel that hunger can control circadian rhythms like changes in dark/light patterns do.

So scientists felt they should try to change the feeding clock instead of the sleep clock to try to curb jet lag.

Dr. Clifford B. Saper thought you might try fasting before and also during the long flight.

Also start the correct pattern of meals according to the local time.

• Don’t eat any food once you arrive at the airport

• Don’t eat while in the air but drink as much water as possible

• Eat as soon as you can once you land but coordinate it with the local meal schedule

Whether you decided to try to fast or not, try not to consume foods high in fat during your first meal once you land because it will cause a delay in adjusting to the local time. You should always adjust your feeding schedule to any specific medical needs that you may need due to any specific health problems that you may be dealing with. You may have to consult your medical doctor if you think it is warranted. You should take into consideration the different techniques you have already attempted as well as discussing them with your doctor and use the one that seems to work the best for you. If you haven’t tried fasting, it may be a good idea to give it a chance and see if adjusting your meal schedule can do for jet lag.

Can Melatonin Help with Jet Lag?

Melatonin is a well-known dietary supplement that was said to quell jet lag and treat insomnia. It has also been known to help with other things also such as anxiety, fatigue, headaches, tinnitus, dementia, depression, bowel issues and even help keep your skin healthy from the UV rays of the sun. The wonder drug even has been said to help with cancer and heart disease, many different aging signs and symptoms of menopause. Companies have picked up on the hype and have come out with Dream Water and iChill that was developed to help with relaxation. If anything is said to help with all of these ailments is probably something that is too good to be true.

Melatonin: Hormone Released in the Dark

The Pineal gland is responsible for producing the melatonin hormone. Some plants that are edible also produce this hormone. It is discharged in the dark which is why they call it a “darkness hormone” which is contrary to vitamin D which is known as the “sunshine hormone”. Melatonin is blocked from being released during the day by light. Circadian rhythms are affected by melatonin and have always been utilized as a sleep aid. There is even a prescription drug called Rozerem that operates the same way as melatonin.
Recent studies have shown in lab animals that is hormone has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer and immunological effects. Just because it works on lab animals doesn’t necessarily mean it may extend to living human beings.

Melatonin Production is Affected by Aging

As we age, melatonin production begins to decline. Some scientists have advocated that come changes in our body because of age may have some connection with a decrease in melatonin. Many money-making companies use the same pretense that melatonin is needed since it is decreasing as we age just like drug replacement estrogen therapy but this hasn’t been proven. There are many different compounds that decline as we get older but that doesn’t necessarily mean if they get replaced we will feel better.

Some of the Melatonin effects are well supported

Cochrane Collaboration, in 2009, concluded that taking melatonin as a supplement can reduce or prevent jet lag. Some of the studies performed didn’t perform the same positive results. The supplement does seem to be safe if used for a short period of time and is recommended for use by adults that are travelling through five time zones or more and preferably towards the east. Natural Standards is a company that analyses alternative treatments also found convincing evidence of using melatonin as suggested. It has also found evidence for treatment in elderly patients for insomnia as well as helping healthy people sleep. There is inconclusive evidence that melatonin helps in any other capacity suggested.

What effects does Melatonin have on sleep?

• Melatonin may produce drowsiness or a “hangover” like effect the following day which may prove dangerous if you operate heavy machinery or are driving.

• There is no definite dosage recommendation for melatonin. It is different with every person so it has to be tried on an individual basis to see what amount works best for them.

• You can get melatonin in bananas, rice, grapes and cherries but there is no evidence as to how much has to be eaten to get any kind of beneficial effect.

Prior to Taking Melatonin

• Use only occasionally when needed for insomnia or jet lag

• Consult your physician if you experience chronic insomnia

• Do not use this supplement for any reason other than matters relating to sleep

Don’t Let Jet Lag Hurt Your Productivity

Here are a few ways you can try to handle the problems that jet lag gives you and still be productive when traveling across time zones.

Drink little bits of water frequently – The body has over 60% water. It is simple to become dehydrated due to the airplane air being dry and then when you are traveling across many time zones you are in the plane longer. To stay hydrated, you need adequate amounts of water all through the day. If you get dehydrated you may end up with messed up sleep patterns and headaches. They will usually last at least one day for every time zone that is crossed.

When you do take water, try to take little amounts at a time but more frequently. Constantly drink small amounts of water throughout your flight. Don’t wait until the flight is over and then guzzle a whole bottle of water because that won’t help. Also if you drink so much water that you feel full, that isn’t good either and you may end up not eating properly which will only aggravate your jet lag.

Try to drink at least four ounces every hour that you are flying. If you are more regular, you will have an easier time flying across time zones.

You will also be more productive once you get there or you will recover quicker if you are consistent. The other thing that will happen is you will need to use the bathroom so you will get up which will make you stretch your legs a little.

Bring food of your own on the flight – Always bring your own food with you on the plane including protein bars, Vitamin C powder, a salad, a sandwich, some mixed nuts, a couple bottles of water and some granola. Make sure you take along foods that are high in protein, low in carbs, and high in fat. This is called brain food and they will also fill you up plus an added bonus is that they taste good. If you are not hungry you will be able to concentrate on the vital things like getting ready for a meeting or trying to nap for a few minutes.If you bring your own food you will also be more relaxed because you will have good things to eat and you won’t have to worry about finding good things for you. If you make it easy to travel, you will be able to focus on what’s important. Don’t drink when you fly either and it is better not to drink while you are traveling especially if it is for business. Alcohol depresses you and that combined with jet lag will cause increased problems and decrease your productivity.
Be there early – Try to arrive at your destination earlier than you need to be there. If you can get there a couple days early that would be fantastic because your jet lag will most likely be gone before you need to be focused and productive. You may think it will be worse to spend more time in a far-away location but it really is best if you can relax for a few days before your time is needed for work or business. It may also give you extra time to plan for your meeting by creating your reports or taking care of other business so your mind is clear for the important things of the day.

Traveling long distances is usually necessary for many business people. If you plan on being successful, make sure you plan ahead and do what is necessary to make sure you can overcome your jet lag before you need to be productive, both mentally and physically, for your important meeting.

Everything You Need to Know About Sleep

To maintain good health, sleep is important. Sleep fixes the body and give the mind time to refresh. It is never in a still state and is always active even during sleep. The brain moves through stages when sleeping and repeats them through the night.Fatigue, mood alterations, and lack of memory, coordination, and concentration occur when the body lacks sleep. Your body is programmed to sleep around the same times each day. The amount of light is so important to your sleep schedule. When there is less light, there are hormones released into the brain to help induce sleep. Before there was electricity, people used to sleep between sunset and sunrise. That was around ten hours, which is what the average person got each day. Nowadays many people are deprived of essential sleep and this is not good to their health.

Make sure to get enough sleep

In developed nations, sleep deprivation is prevalent with most adults only getting between six and seven hours of sleep. These adults experience fatigue several times throughout the day. One in every six auto accidents happen due to sleeplessness. There are many causes of sleeplessness which include texting, internet, being a parent, shift at work, travel into different time zones, illness, medications, and poor sleeping habits. It is estimated that new parents in the first year lose between 450 and 700 hours of sleep.

Various sleep cycles

There are two distinct stages of sleep that every individual experiences. These two stages continue in a cycle throughout the sleep cycle. The first is rapid eye movement or REM sleep.

The second is non-rapid eye movement or NREM sleep. REM sleep occurs naturally every 90 minutes to 120 minutes. One quarter of your night’s sleep is in this stage. During this stage, the brain seems to be very active and the eyes dart around in the socket, which is where this stage got its name. It is the part of the sleep cycle where dreams occur. NREM sleep makes up the other three quarters of your sleep time and comes in four stages.

Stage one starts when you are dozing off or drowsy and you go from being awake to being asleep. Stage 2 is when your body temperature drops, you lose consciousness of what is around you, and your heart rate slows down.

The third and fourth stage come when you are in a deep sleep. Your muscles relax, your heart rate and breathing slow down, the body temperature drops, and the body grows and repairs itself.

Some disorders can interrupt the main sleep patterns and if this happens the body does not get the significant amount of sleep to grow and repair itself. These diseases, like insomnia, sleep restriction, sleep walking, night terrors, narcolepsy, and jet leg, can be treated with the proper diet, medications, and your doctor can help you with them.

Facts About Common Sleep Disorders

Get the Facts About the Most Common Sleep Disorders

Some people are unable to enjoy a good sleep at night because they have a sleep disorder. Some of the sleep disorders include snoring, sleep apnea, jet lag, insomnia, narcolepsy, or restless leg syndrome. These problems should be looked into and treated.

Every 24 hour, a state of consciousness is reached called sleep. It is the time when the body rests and repairs itself. The brain has some much needed downtime during this time period as well.

The amount of sleep that is needed depends on a variety of factors, which include diet, personality, environment, lifestyle, and age. For example, a newborn baby would need around sixteen hours of sleep in every twenty four hour period and an adult would only need half of that.

The body’s internal clock

c cycles called the circadian rhythm. When it starts to get dark, the brain releases chemicals into the brain that make you sleepy. The same happens when the sun rises and the brain releases chemicals to wake up.

Sleep stages

There are different sleep stages that go over and over. The first stage is the rapid eye movement stage and the second is the non rapid eye movement stage. The brain waves for the REM cycle are faster than the ones for the NREM cycle. The REM stage is associated with the time during your sleep that you dream while the body repairs during the NREM stage.

Common sleep disorders

When sleep is disturbed, it can be for any number of reasons. Here are some of the most common sleep disorders.

Insomnia deals with when it is hard to sleep or stay asleep.
Jet lag deals with the times when the body’s internal clock is thrown off because of a different time zone.
Narcolepsy is when the body is extremely tired during the day and that leads to napping involuntarily.
Periodic limb movement disorder is when muscle spasms wake up the sleeper.
Restless leg syndrome is when lower leg pain and discomfort makes a person need to get up and move around.
Snoring is when noisy breathing or narrowed nose and throat obstruction wakes the sleeper.
Sleep apnea is when the upper airway becomes blocked which causing breathing to stop.
Sleepwalking is when the sleeper walks around in their sleep.

Treatment of sleep disorders

Some disorders like snoring or sleepwalking don’t necessarily require treatment. However, there are some sleep disorders like sleep apnea that are dangerous. To make sure that you don’t have a dangerous or even deadly sleep disorder, it is so important to contact your doctor or a sleep clinic.

How does shift work affect your health?

Working shifts or shift work can affect how healthy you are. Your body naturally synchronizes with day and night using your circadian clock. It is a part of your brain that will release hormones to make you tired when your eyes see less light. When you work a shift, you will notice that your body is confused if the shift does not allow you to sleep when it is dark outside. This can lead to health problems like heart disease, obesity, digestive issues, and sleep problems.

The average sleep and wake cycle for humans is to wake during the day and sleep for around eight hours at night. The “circadian clock” is designed to monitor how much light you see. When it starts to get dark, the brain gets flooded with melatonin, a hormone that tells the body to sleep. Over time, the sleep cycle has evolved to an average eight hour cycle. Throughout the night, melatonin rises in the brain and then falls off during the day.

Neurotransmitters like noradrenaline and acetylcholine which will increase in the body to keep you awake. Other functions in the body like temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, or digestion fluctuate during the day as they are in tune with the circadian clock.

When a person works nights or starts working before 6 am, works against their circadian clock and that can cause serious health risks. Research shows that this is hazondous to the health of the health of these individuals.

Your metabolism during night time hours

Internal body temperature is a vital body function that follows the circadian rhythm. During the day, the temperature increases starting with lower levels during the morning hours and then hits the top level around noon. Between midnight and four in the morning, is when the body’s temperature is the lowest. As it rises, it is most difficult to stay asleep.

Risks of night shirt workers

A person who works the night shift and disrupts the circadian rhythm, is at greater risk for these misfortunes, accidents, or disorders which include:

Increased chances of becoming obese
Higher risk of having mood swings
Increased risk of heart or other cardiovascular diseases
Increased risk of some gastrointestinal issues
Higher risk of having an accident from an automobile or at work
Risk of epilepsy in people that are pre-disposed
Increase in family issues
Diabetics can have difficulties when controlling levels of blood sugar

Sleep Issues

On average, shift workers will sleep two hours less than other workers. They may sleep through the day in two separate split periods which include two or three hours during morning hours and then a few hours before work. they may have difficulty sleeping during the day unless they can find an environment that is dark and free of noise. Cooler sleeping areas are better for shirt workers.

Rotating shift workers

When changing shifts it can take at least ten days to adjust to the new schedule. The best shift has not been decided but some people believe that there are times when this works better than night shift work because some days the body can get regular sleep. When working a twelve hour shift, the body’s tolerance is stretched to the farthest limits. Overtime is no

Jet Lag is Bad for Your Health: Fighting Off the Symptoms of Jet Lag

When travelling over different time zones, it can cause jet lag. The symptoms include sleepiness, impaired judgement, fatigue, digestive issues, irritability, and memory lapses. The symptoms can be more severe when travelling east. To minimize jet lag, limit caffeine and alcohol consumption, drink lots of water, and take naps and walk around the plane a bit every once and a while. It is not a good idea to take sleeping pills, in case there is an emergency.

Jet lag combines fatigue with other symptoms that are caused when travelling through various time zones. It is also known as “time zone change syndrome.

The body has an internal clock that synchronizes with night and day by using chemicals in the brain to release a hormone causing sleepiness or causing the body to wake. The body processes are timed using the twenty-four hour physiological clock. The bodily processes that are timed include hear rate, blood pressure, brain states, and hormones like melatonin which causes the body to want to sleep.

When travelling to different time zones, the circadian rhythm of the clock is disrupted and that can cause jet lag which has not cure. The symptoms however can be reduced if handled properly and with proper planning.

Symptoms include

Fatigue
Digestive issues
Sleepiness
Impaired judgement
Irritability
Apathy
Memory lapses.

Flying east versus flying west

The circadian rhythm, or the body’s clock is less disrupted when travelling west. It is because it prolongs the body’s clock cycles. Eastward travels shorten the cycle and that makes it harder for the body to handle.

Strategies for the reduction of jet lag symptoms

There are some suggestions that can help reduce the symptoms of jet lag when traveling.

Getting enough sleep before a flight may work to lessen the effects.
Go to sleep much later than usual for a few days before you leave when flying westward. It can make it easier to adapt to the situation.
During your flight, try not to drink alcohol, keep hydrated, take a nap, eat frequent small meals, wear comfortable clothes, take walks, wear earplugs and an eye mask, and use a pillow.

Adjusting once you arrive

The body is not synchronized with the new time zone. Several different functions will adjust at different speed and that can add to the body’s confusion. It can take a few days or a few weeks to get used to the new time zone. Here are some ideas of how you can cope with your new time zone.

Choose to moderate caffeinated beverages
Get exposed to daylight
Mimic bedtime routines
Take a bath and listen to music
Avoid alcohol or caffeinated beverages before sleep

Instead of taking some medication or drinking alcohol to better these symptoms, you should consult your doctor.

Jet Lag: What is it anyway?

It is a mental and chemical change that happens to the body from time changes of travel through different zones. Traveling through these zones throws off regular functions that are set to let the body function at a normal capacity. Things we take for granted become a nuisance to our everyday life.

What brings on jet lag?

Traveling long and far enough to put certain body functions out of whack. Chemicals in your brain fool your body to act, or react to time, light, and hunger at abnormal times. When these messages are given at the wrong times complications may occur mentally and physically. When most of us land our internal clock resets that we take our messages from. Most of us are usually back on track and focused in about two days.

Direction traveled has different effects on the body.
Depending on the direction traveled can be a positive or negative on the lag. When you travel in a direction that makes the day shorter it makes lying down and sleeping at night a lot easier. This is west to east. Going the opposite direction makes for a longer day. Getting used to functioning on longer schedule can create problems.

Traveling back on the clock averages about an hour and half for body to adjust. Moving forward on the clock takes about an hour to return to normal.

Negative reactions of jet lag

Conforming to the basic routines of the day may keep you from doing everyday events for that couple of recovering days. These reactions could make you look and act out of character. Energy could be at an all-time low for you to do even the easiest of things. The mindset you could fall into can cause strife between people in your regular connections. Explain your situation to your people you may come in contact with so they will understand any negative reactions.

Problems that lag may cause are;

1) Concentration may be clouded, confusion may show itself more than usual.

2) Feeling drawn out, and sleepy at inappropriate times.

3) Judgement may be impaired. Making simple things dangerous to you and others around you.

4) Not having the ability to sleep at all. Insomnia is no good when it is for any length of time.

5) The ability to focus on anything becomes a task. Walking around in a fog can have negative feedback.

6) Tossing and turning on those sleepless nights may make you edgy.

7) The more serious medical problems that come to light must be seen by doctor.

Remember, feeling ill and having physical problems can be caused by your general health, or flying itself. That is why a checkup is a smart move before making assessments about your health on your own. Jet lag is not serious, but if you do a lot of flying you should contact your doctor. They will give you all the professional advice you will need. They can also adjust any appointments you may have, so not to conflict with your travels.

Jet Lag: What it is and How to Overcome the Effects?

There are many people in the world that have to deal with the effects of jet lag but no one really knows what causes it or if it can be conquered. Any person that has been on a long flight that covers many time zones knows exactly what we are talking about and no one really looks forward to it. It’s that feeling that you get when you are exhausted and groggy but just can’t fall asleep. You know it’s going to happen but you just accept it as part of travelling that you have to put up with to enjoy some time away from your natural surroundings.

What is it exactly?

It is something that happens to our circadian rhythm or body clock that gets out of whack when we disturb our sleep cycle. We subconsciously react poorly when our normal cycle with sleep gets messed with. Our body thinks it’s time to sleep and our brain knows it’s time to be awake.

What affects our body clock?

Believe it or not, our sleep is affected by whether it is night or day. If we have a regular work schedule, it doesn’t cause problems but if we work on opposite schedules, there can be some sleep problems that can be very inconvenient.

Jet lag has a specific set of symptoms

While your body is adjusting to the new time and place you are in, your body reacts in negative ways which is what we call jet lag. You may feel sleepy when it is light out or you may have a problem sleeping when it is dark. You may also have problems concentrating and feel less motivated. Your physical and mental performance will be decreased and you may end up with headaches and be irritable, experience a loss of appetite or have gastro-intestinal issues like constipation.

Travel fatigue is different from jet lag

When you are traveling by a bus, train, or car, it can be uncomfortable and you may become irritable and tired. These are only temporary and usually stop quickly once you get some rest.
If you are traveling from north to south or south to north you won’t experience jet lag at all. It only occurs when you are traveling across time zones which will affect your sleep patterns. The more time zones you cross, the more you may be affected by jet lag.

What affects how severe your jet lag symptoms may be?

If you travel across many time zones, you will have more symptoms than if you only cross a few. The direction that you travel also will affect how severe your symptoms are. They are usually worse if you travel east to west. It also depends on whether mornings bother you or not. Jet lag usually is not affected by gender or age.

How can jet lag be beat?

You can take some precautions if you are planning on a long trip across time zones. Try to begin your trip completely rested and maybe even change your sleep routine to accommodate the timing where you will be. Also try to drink sufficient amounts of water and understand that supplements or prescriptions won’t beat jet lag.

Once you land at your destination, make sure you get as sleep as closely to the times you should even if you just rest during those times. It will help your body adjust quicker to the new times. During the day, also try to get as much daylight exposure as possible so your body will adjust quicker.

Lessen Your Risk for Jet Lag

Traveling long distances by air that cause changing time zones several times can cause symptoms of jet lag once you get to your destination. Symptoms may be feeling hungry, alert and sleepy at inappropriate times. This can affect your job performance as well as enjoyment of your vacation. It does take time but the circadian rhythm inside our bodies does eventually adjust to the time change. It takes longer to feel normal if you travel across multiple times zones vs. if you only travel across one or two.

Divers frequently travel to distant locations for diving and can be affected with jet lag for most of their travel. It also can affect the ability to safely dive; therefore they should know how to reduce the effects of jet lag.

• While getting ready for your travel, attempt to change your bedtime slowly to where it should be at your destination. If you are going east, retire an hour before you normally would for every time zone that you anticipate changing. Don’t use tea, chocolate, coffee, or alcohol and try to exercise at least four hours prior to the new time you will be going to sleep. Also, get up before you normally would and attempt to get outside and get some sunshine so your body will adjust.

If you are going west, do just the opposite and retire later and remain in bed for a longer amount of time.

• If you don’t sleep while you are flying you will make the effects associated with traveling quickly across time zones much worse. If you can sleep while flying, it may help some. While you sleep, the temperature of your body decreases and hormones react differently. Usually this happens at the same time daily but these hormonal changes will also occur with changes in noise and light that is in your surroundings.

When it gets dark, your pineal gland located in your brain begins to secrete melatonin; also called the Dark Hormone. Melatonin aids the body in falling and staying asleep but it does not have the ability to do this by itself. If you are going to sleep well during flight you should avoid drinking caffeine and alcohol that may cause you to stay awake. Use blindfolds and earplugs to calm noise and create darkness. If this isn’t sufficient, use up to 1 mg melatonin about a half hour prior to bedtime.

Usually when you take short diving trips like this you don’t have much time planned so it is important that you don’t spend most of the time with symptoms of jet lag. If you do some of these things mentioned, you will experience symptoms for a much shorter length of time and be able to enjoy your trip more.

The more you prepare for the possibility of jet lag, the great chance you have of getting over it quickly so it won’t destroy your diving trip. Try not to dive the first day you arrive at your destination just so you are definitely over all of the symptoms before you subject your body to the rigors of diving. Following these few tips and delaying your diving expeditions by just a day will ensure you a great experience with your diving vacation.