Your body can become unsettled when you travel rapidly through several time zones. The resulting jet lag can spoil the first few days of your trip.
Jet lag means disturbed sleep patterns, weakness and disorientation caused by travelling. It happens when our normal body clock is disrupted by travelling through several time zones. It's worse when we are moving from west to east because the body finds it harder to adapt to a shorter day than a longer one.
GP Dr Dawn Harper explains: “Our body clock is primed to respond to a regular rhythm of daylight and darkness. It is thrown out of sync when it experiences daylight at what it considers the wrong time, and it can take several days to readjust."
Ten tips to combat jetlag
Top up your sleep before you travel
Make sure you're fully rested before you travel. If you’re flying overnight and you can get a bit of sleep on the flight, it will help you to stay up all day once you arrive at your destination.
Have a stopover on the way
Including a stopover into your flight will make it easier to adjust to the time change, and you'll be less tired when you arrive. Take advantage of a stopover to have a refreshing shower or swim at the airport hotel.
Plan when to take medication
People who have to take medication at certain times of the day should seek medical advice before travelling. Your GP will be able to tell you what times you should take your medicine when you’re crossing time zones.
Adjust to your destination as soon as possible
A few days before you travel, start getting up and going to bed earlier (if travelling east) or later (if travelling west). During the flight, try to eat and sleep according to your destination's local time.
Keep hydrated
Dehydration can intensify the effects of jet lag, especially after sitting in a dry aeroplane cabin for many hours. Avoid alcoholic drinks and keep your fluid levels topped up with a cup of juice or water every hour during the journey.
Be active
Try to do a little exercise and light stretching during your flight and your trip. Stretch your legs with a few walks around the cabin, and take advantage of long airport queues to move up and down on tiptoes, exercising your calf muscles.
Allow recovery time
It takes around one day to recover for each time zone you cross and can take up to a week to adjust fully to the time zone of your destination, so take things easy when you arrive.
Natural light
By controlling your exposure to daylight you can trick your brain into beating jet lag more quickly. As soon as you arrive, spend some time outdoors in the daylight if you can. This will help regulate your body clock.
Stay up till 11pm
When you arrive, don’t go straight to bed for a nap, however quick it is. You’ll feel better temporarily, but you’ll only confuse your body clock and delay making the time change. Stay up until 11pm if you can.
Use remedies with caution
Many airline staff take melatonin, a hormone formed by the body at night or in darkness, to try to fight jet lag. Sleeping medication is not recommended as it doesn't help your body to adjust naturally to a new sleeping pattern.
