The time zone difference occurs because the body’s internal clock is synchronized with your original time zone and has not adjusted to the time zone of the place you have traveled to. The more time zones you have crossed, the greater the likelihood of experiencing time zone difference, which is also known as circadian rhythm disorder.
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The time zone difference can cause daytime fatigue, discomfort, difficulty staying alert, and stomach problems. While the symptoms are temporary, they can affect your comfort while on vacation or during a business trip. However, you can take steps to help prevent or lessen the effects of jet lag.
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SYMPTOMS
The symptoms of jet lag can vary. You may experience one or several of the following:
• Sleep problems, for example, not being able to sleep or waking up early.
• Fatigue during the day.
• Difficulty concentrating or performing at the usual level.
• Problemas estomacales, como estreñimiento o diarrea.
• General feeling of discomfort.
• Moos swings.
The symptoms worsen the farther you travel between different time zones. It should be noted that jet lag does not affect all people equally, nor do all people respond to the disorder in the same way, as it depends on each individual’s resistance to sleep deprivation or how easy it is for them to fall asleep both during the flight and upon arriving at the new destination.
FIVE TIPS TO OVERCOME JET LAG
1. Get enough rest and gradually adjust your sleep schedule before traveling: If you do not rest well in the days leading up to your trip, the impact of jet lag worsens. Sleeping eight hours and taking vitamins weeks before and during the trip makes a favorable difference. Dr. Michael Breus, clinical psychologist and sleep expert, mentions that “If you’re heading east, try to go to bed an hour earlier in the evening the days before your trip. If you’re flying west, go to bed an hour later.”
2. Stay Hydrated and Avoid Alcohol: During flights, dehydration is a common problem due to the low humidity in the cabin. The solution is to drink enough water before, during, and after the flight. An article published by the National Library of Medicine recommends a liquid intake of 100 to 300 milliliters per hour on long-distance flights and adds that it is important to avoid alcohol consumption to prevent sleep disruption.
3. Sunlight to Balance the Internal Clock: According to Dr. Alex Ferré, a specialist in sleep medicine, light is the most potent stimulus for changing the phase of human circadian rhythms. In this regard, exposure to sunlight in the new time zone is recommended to reduce the time it takes for the body’s circadian clock to adjust.
4. Taking off your shoes to feel the energy of the Earth: The practice known as ‘earthing’ consists of walking barefoot on the earth, grass or sand to connect with the energy of nature through the feet. The scientific community asserts that connecting with the earth has legitimate health benefits. “Various studies have shown that this practice helps improve both sleep and immune response and normalize stress hormones,” says Erin Magner, a health writer and journalist.
5. Follow a new schedule and a healthy diet: An article from the Instituto de Salud Global Barcelona reveals that the light cycle detected by the eyes is responsible for synchronizing the central clock. However, the peripheral clocks of the muscles, liver, pancreas, and adipose tissue depend on meal times. According to experts, it is best to follow the local meal schedule once you arrive at your destination. This is in addition to the importance of choosing light and balanced meals.
Remember that long-distance air travel often has an unavoidable consequence: jet lag, which occurs when traveling quickly to another time zone, especially when there is a minimum difference of two or three time zones, and it usually lasts several days.