What is Jet Lag?
It’s that feeling when you travelled from Los Angeles all the way to Paris and upon arriving at the airport you feel disoriented, irritable, and worst, general malaise. Jet lag is a physical reaction of your body to a rapid change in time zones. It affects majority of travelers once in a while. Even seasoned fliers are not exempted to this nasty condition.
Being cooped up in your seat for an 8-hour flight is so draining. Other factors that contribute to the worsening of jet lag are dehydration, uncomfortable clothes, recycled air, sleep deprivation, and even those continuous low-level noises in your surroundings. Jet lag is not only limited to travelers of different time zones. Long flights even within the United States area can make you fil a bit jet lagged since you have to endure travelling without fresh air, room for walking, and even relaxing.
How do you prevent Jet Lag?
As a general rule of the thumb, treat your body well if you’re expecting to have a flight in a day or two. Have sufficient sleep, keep yourself hydrated, eat light meals, and try to stay sober. Flying with a hangover is the worst thing you can do to punish yourself.
Some travelers prefer to engage in an exercise before they go to the airport which can actually help you sleep better on the plane. Once you’re at the airport, try to avoid the moving sidewalks and escalators when reaching your departure area. A good walk will help your blood circulation flow properly before you confine yourself in a crowded seat for long hours. If you can, try to adjust your body mechanism to the time zone of your destination. And always bring another watch that is set to that particular time zone in order to keep you oriented.
Same rules apply when you’re already on your journey up in the air. Drink water from time to time to keep your body well hydrated. Avoid alcoholic and caffeinated drinks that may cause stomach upset or dizziness. Carbonated drinks such as cola can make you feel bloated and constipated which may add to your altered bowel pattern. Do some range of motion exercises such as shrugging your shoulders or rotating those joints, it helps to keep the blood flowing. Always wear loose-fitting clothes so it won’t restrict your movements. And don’t forget to bring your trusty earplugs to avoid the pain inside your ears especially during descent.
Ant-motion sickness medications can help prevent that nauseating experience and it helps you sleep the entire trip. Taking anything for loose bowel might not be appropriate if you don’t have diarrheal episodes yet. Anti-histamines are also effective in helping kids survive the long haul flight without crying the entire journey.
Avoid eating greasy and heavy meals. They will serve you plenty of stuff in the airline but you don’t have to consume all of it. A cracker and ice water is a recommended diet to avoid any sorts of stomach upsets, nausea, and loose bowel movement.