Jet lag isn’t a result of lost sleep; it comes from changes to our circadian rhythms. Your internal clock is used to waking and going to bed at a particular time and becomes confused by conflicting light/dark input, which is why the switch to daylight saving time can be so difficult. Generally, it’s recommended to take one day to adjust for every time zone crossed, although recent studies show that it actually takes much longer.
Jet lag hits hard. Symptoms include mental confusion and disorientation, trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, fatigue, headaches, and irritability. It can also cause indigestion and reduced interest and enjoyment of food. It can exacerbate symptoms of mental illness and depression, since mental wellness is closely tied to healthy sleep patterns. Ironically, a treatment called chronotherapy — which combines sleep deprivation, sleep scheduling, and bright light therapy to influence the brain — has shown tremendous promise with depressed patients.
While that glass of wine looks tempting on a plane with screaming toddlers, skip it, say scientists: Alcohol dehydrates you in an already dry environment and disturbs your sleep, making a bad situation worse. Caffeine is similarly dehydrating and keeps you awake. Drinking water is best — and if there happens to be pineapple in your kosher meal, eat that — it’s a natural source of the sleep hormone melatonin. Eating breakfast on the plane only at the destination’s breakfast time can help your body adjust.
Several drugs may adjust the internal clock, like sleeping pills; selecting a non-benzodiazepine results in sleep closer to natural sleep. Melatonin, another popular sleep aid taken at bedtime, is typically more successful on eastbound flights. Vasopressin is the main chemical signal responsible for our biological clocks. Blocking vasopressin, researchers theorize, could treat jet lag. Some believe 5-HTP, a nutritional supplement that’s a precursor for serotonin (which works with the bodily clock to affect mood), could help too. Talk to your doctor before taking any supplement.
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