jet lag help
Aug 1st, 2002, 11:56 AM
#2
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Rick: I've heard melatonin is good although I'm not sure of the dosage. I have used it for occasional insomnia. Check Dr. Weil's website (www.drweil.com)and search under jet lag, he's a big fan. I recommend over the counter sleeping pills and attempting to adjust to the time in Hawaii when you arrive - in other words, try to stay up until 10 or 11pm. Good Luck!
Aug 1st, 2002, 12:05 PM
#3
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Hi Rick,
There are some natural pills that I buy over the counter to help with jet lag. I don't know if they work because I've always used them, so I have nothing to compare with. But, I started using them because of reccommendations from others. I forget what they are called, but you can get them at travel stores and at some supermarkets.
Also, I've heard that it is good to stop eating meat and drinking alcohol for a few days before you go. The time that I tried this going from California to Europe (over 14 hours) I had less jet lag than the time I didn't. Also, you are supposed to exercise and drink a lot of water for the few days before you go and drink water while you are on the plane.
When you arrive, you should not go to sleep unless it is bedtime, no matter how tired you are. Stay up until it is bedtime. This too will help you adjust.
Good luck.
There are some natural pills that I buy over the counter to help with jet lag. I don't know if they work because I've always used them, so I have nothing to compare with. But, I started using them because of reccommendations from others. I forget what they are called, but you can get them at travel stores and at some supermarkets.
Also, I've heard that it is good to stop eating meat and drinking alcohol for a few days before you go. The time that I tried this going from California to Europe (over 14 hours) I had less jet lag than the time I didn't. Also, you are supposed to exercise and drink a lot of water for the few days before you go and drink water while you are on the plane.
When you arrive, you should not go to sleep unless it is bedtime, no matter how tired you are. Stay up until it is bedtime. This too will help you adjust.
Good luck.
Aug 1st, 2002, 12:24 PM
#4
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take an afternoon flight if you have op sleep until 12pm ( I stay at airport to do this comfortably) or later for about a week before hand. You usually do get over it in a day or two most people will tell you this but I don't like loosing any time. Jet lag is more of a problem on the return.
I also stay a night over in California with a morning flight into the respective island. If you could spend 2 nights in California that would be even better. Do people from the west coast experience any fatique first few days?
I also stay a night over in California with a morning flight into the respective island. If you could spend 2 nights in California that would be even better. Do people from the west coast experience any fatique first few days?
Aug 1st, 2002, 12:26 PM
#6
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I have found that flying west is a lot easier on the body that flying east. Whe I fly east, I just end up waking up really early the 1st morning. I try to stay in bed as long as possible and then stay up the next night. By the 2nd day, I have adjusted. Coming back though is another story. No matter what I do, I have jet lag for at least 3 or 4 days.
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Aug 1st, 2002, 12:44 PM
#9
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First, there are dozens of detailed posts about this on the European Board.
Second, this is my summary:
Having researched the jet lag issue carefully:
1) melatonin 1-2 mg evening before leaving, and at typical destination "bedtime" when on the plane. Some also take another dose at bedtime first PM of arrival.
2) stay WELL hydrated on plane (and before and after). Don't underestimate the importance of this. Sounds too simple to make a difference, but don't be fooled.
3) no alcohol on plane, no high fat "heavy" foods.
4) either take a short (max 1 hour) nap when you arrive at hotel, then get out into the sun and do some walking around for awhile, or skip the nap altogether.
5) go immediately to normal destination bedtime once you've arrived.
6) I've also tried slowly rolling bedtime (a couple hours) toward destination bedtime 2-4 days prior to departing. I compete internationally in athletics and maximal adjustment is critically important. Taken together, I've had very little difficulty with jet lag using these measures.
BTW, west to east has always been much more challenging than E-W for me. But about half of people seem to be opposite.
Nothing works for every person all the time. But taken together, the common sense recommendations usually take the edge off jet lag symptoms.
Second, this is my summary:
Having researched the jet lag issue carefully:
1) melatonin 1-2 mg evening before leaving, and at typical destination "bedtime" when on the plane. Some also take another dose at bedtime first PM of arrival.
2) stay WELL hydrated on plane (and before and after). Don't underestimate the importance of this. Sounds too simple to make a difference, but don't be fooled.
3) no alcohol on plane, no high fat "heavy" foods.
4) either take a short (max 1 hour) nap when you arrive at hotel, then get out into the sun and do some walking around for awhile, or skip the nap altogether.
5) go immediately to normal destination bedtime once you've arrived.
6) I've also tried slowly rolling bedtime (a couple hours) toward destination bedtime 2-4 days prior to departing. I compete internationally in athletics and maximal adjustment is critically important. Taken together, I've had very little difficulty with jet lag using these measures.
BTW, west to east has always been much more challenging than E-W for me. But about half of people seem to be opposite.
Nothing works for every person all the time. But taken together, the common sense recommendations usually take the edge off jet lag symptoms.
Aug 1st, 2002, 01:20 PM
#10
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Rick - I posted a similar jet lag question just before our Hawaii trip this past Spring. Got lots of good advice so do a search under Jet Lag Diet. After all that advise though, we never felt the least bit jet lagged in Hawaii. However, when we got home (S Fla) it took us over a week to feel normal again! Have fun....you'll love Hawaii!!!
Aug 1st, 2002, 01:29 PM
#11
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Yes, I meant to say when I fly WEST the only trouble I have is waking up early. My long airplane flights have all been from California to Japan. The directions confuse me sometimes since CA is the west coast and Japan is the far east. Must remember that the earth is round!
Aug 1st, 2002, 07:19 PM
#14
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I agree west to east is a tougher adjustment. Melatonin has worked for me in the past: about 3-5mg at bedtime after arrival, maybe for a second night too. This definitely helped on some 12 hour time difference biz trips in the past. Best thing is to act "local" asap after arrival, resist naps as best you can. Nowadays the majority of my long trips are for vacation/pleasure so I don't bother about it too much, just carry bottled water onto the plane but also enjoy G&T too !
Happy landings,
p.
Happy landings,
p.
Aug 1st, 2002, 07:46 PM
#15
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I vigorously disagree with dr. reed.
Here is a summary from London reporting on ten randomized clinical trials of placebo versus melatonin with VERY convincing results.
Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag (Cochrane Review).
Herxheimer A, Petrie KJ.
UK Cochrane Centre, 9 Park Crescent, London N3 2NL, UK. andrew [email protected]
BACKGROUND: : Jet-lag commonly affects air travellers who cross several time zones. It results from the body's internal rhythms being out of step with the day-night cycle at the destination. Melatonin is a pineal hormone that plays a central part in regulating bodily rhythms and has been used as a drug to re-align them with the outside world. OBJECTIVES: : To assess the effectiveness of oral melatonin taken in different dosage regimens for alleviating jet-lag after air travel across several time zones.
SELECTION CRITERIA: : Randomised trials in airline passengers, airline staff or military personnel given oral melatonin, compared with placebo or other medication were reviewed. Outcome measures consisted of subjective rating of jet-lag or related components, such as subjective wellbeing, daytime tiredness, onset and quality of sleep, psychological functioning, duration of return to normal, or indicators of circadian rhythms.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: : Ten trials met the inclusion criteria. All compared melatonin with placebo; one in addition compared it with a hypnotic, zolpidem. Nine of the trials were of adequate quality to contribute to the assessment, one had a design fault and could not be used in the assessment. Reports of adverse events outside trials were found through MEDLINE, 'Reactions Weekly', and in the WHO UMC database.
***MAIN RESULTS: : Nine of the ten trials found that melatonin, taken close to the target bedtime at the destination (10pm to midnight), decreased jet-lag from flights crossing five or more time zones. Daily doses of melatonin between 0.5 and 5mg are similarly effective, except that people fall asleep faster and sleep better after 5mg than 0.5mg. Doses above 5mg appear to be no more effective. The relative ineffectiveness of 2mg slow-release melatonin suggests that a short-lived higher peak concentration of melatonin works better. Based on the review, the number needed to treat (NNT) is 2. The benefit is likely to be greater the more time zones are crossed, and less for westward flights. The timing of the melatonin dose is important: if it is taken at the wrong time, early in the day, it is liable to cause sleepiness and delay adaptation to local time. The incidence of other side effects is low. Case reports suggest that people with epilepsy, and patients taking warfarin may come to harm from melatonin.
Here is a summary from London reporting on ten randomized clinical trials of placebo versus melatonin with VERY convincing results.
Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag (Cochrane Review).
Herxheimer A, Petrie KJ.
UK Cochrane Centre, 9 Park Crescent, London N3 2NL, UK. andrew [email protected]
BACKGROUND: : Jet-lag commonly affects air travellers who cross several time zones. It results from the body's internal rhythms being out of step with the day-night cycle at the destination. Melatonin is a pineal hormone that plays a central part in regulating bodily rhythms and has been used as a drug to re-align them with the outside world. OBJECTIVES: : To assess the effectiveness of oral melatonin taken in different dosage regimens for alleviating jet-lag after air travel across several time zones.
SELECTION CRITERIA: : Randomised trials in airline passengers, airline staff or military personnel given oral melatonin, compared with placebo or other medication were reviewed. Outcome measures consisted of subjective rating of jet-lag or related components, such as subjective wellbeing, daytime tiredness, onset and quality of sleep, psychological functioning, duration of return to normal, or indicators of circadian rhythms.
DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: : Ten trials met the inclusion criteria. All compared melatonin with placebo; one in addition compared it with a hypnotic, zolpidem. Nine of the trials were of adequate quality to contribute to the assessment, one had a design fault and could not be used in the assessment. Reports of adverse events outside trials were found through MEDLINE, 'Reactions Weekly', and in the WHO UMC database.
***MAIN RESULTS: : Nine of the ten trials found that melatonin, taken close to the target bedtime at the destination (10pm to midnight), decreased jet-lag from flights crossing five or more time zones. Daily doses of melatonin between 0.5 and 5mg are similarly effective, except that people fall asleep faster and sleep better after 5mg than 0.5mg. Doses above 5mg appear to be no more effective. The relative ineffectiveness of 2mg slow-release melatonin suggests that a short-lived higher peak concentration of melatonin works better. Based on the review, the number needed to treat (NNT) is 2. The benefit is likely to be greater the more time zones are crossed, and less for westward flights. The timing of the melatonin dose is important: if it is taken at the wrong time, early in the day, it is liable to cause sleepiness and delay adaptation to local time. The incidence of other side effects is low. Case reports suggest that people with epilepsy, and patients taking warfarin may come to harm from melatonin.
