Travel Safe and Sleep Tight

    Traveling across many different time zones although being fun, and sometimes even necessary has one significant problem and that is Jet Lag.

Jet lag is what happens when you have a circadian rhythm out of sync, confused by two very different time zones, circadian rhythm is an internal clock that controls the sleep wake cycle, so when someone travels such long distances, particularly more than three time zones, the clock is puzzled and it takes it some time to reset, during such time symptoms of jet lag appear.

Now travelers are not the only ones at risk of jet lag, it could also happen to night shift workers , late night sleepers and alcohol consumers.

1. Insomnia.
2. Fatigue.
3. Inability to concentrate.
4. Gastrointestinal problems.
5. Muscle weakness.
6. A missing feeling of well-being.
7. Headache and stress.

So how long does jet lag last?
well, it supposedly takes one day to recover for every time zone crossed, however the symptoms of jet lag are believed to be worse for people traveling from west to east than those traveling the other way around.

Risk Factors:
. Flying frequently increases the risk of jet lag.
. Traveling through many time zones.
. Traveling from west to east.

• Melatonin:

A hormone that plays an essential role in adjusting and promoting sleep, it is secreted by the pineal gland in the brain.
The release of melatonin is linked to the absence and presence of light, for example, it’s stimulated by darkness, when the lights are out, melatonin is released to induce sleep and by vice versa its release is suppressed in the morning by the presence of light.

So when crossing many time zones the melatoning cycle is disturbed, thus symptoms of jet lag begin.
Melatonin supplements are believed to have an effect in reducing and overcoming jet lag, however the lowest possible dose only should be used and only for short term use to avoid any possible undesirable side effects.
Melatonin is taken 60 minutes before bedtime for about two or three nights after arrival to the new destination.

• Adjusted Sleep:

Some people tend to pre-adjust their sleep patterns to the times of the destination they are heading to, starting about three days before traveling, going to bed earlier or later, according to their destination time zone, by one to two hours each night progressively.

Now Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder that should be resolved within days of arrival to the new location, so if the symptoms of jet lag persist for more than its anticipated period, a professional medical assistance should be needed.

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