Jet lag reactions are different for everyone
Interestingly enough, jet lag reactions vary from person to person.
The joys of international travel often come with the side of jet lag, which can make it difficult to enjoy your vacation to begin with and to settle in once you get home.
Why do people get jet lag? Is there anything you can do to mitigate its effects?
What causes jet lag?
The term “jet lag” describes the physical and cognitive symptoms that people experience when they travel rapidly through multiple time zones.
Before you leave for your trip, you are already synchronized with local time. Once you enter a new time zone, your body’s rhythm no longer aligns with the clock on the wall.
That’s when jet lag symptoms kick in. You’re sleepy when you want to wake up and awake when you want to sleep. You’re hungry in the middle of the night, and you may feel bloated or nauseous when you eat during the day.
Until your biological clock and all the rhythms it controls are aligned with the new local time, you are in a state of physical and mental chaos. Not a pleasant holiday atmosphere!
Everyone reacts differently to jet lag
Interestingly enough, jet lag reactions vary from person to person. That’s because we all tick according to our own internal rhythms.
Most of us have a natural cycle of about 24.2 hours per day. So if we live in a cave and don’t see any light, our sleep/wake cycles and other daily rhythms will tick along at about 24.2 hours. Researchers believe this is an evolutionary adaptation that allows us to adapt to different day lengths throughout the year.
But some people have slightly longer cycles than others, and this may affect how a person experiences the jet lag response.
Research suggests that if you have a longer cycle, you may adapt more quickly to traveling west, such as traveling from Australia to South Africa, but we don’t know if a shorter cycle helps with traveling west.
As we age, our adaptability decreases, so the older among us may have more severe symptoms of jet lag.
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Does the direction of travel matter?
More generally, many people find it easier to travel west, where you can “gain” time.
Let’s say Jasmine and Sarah leave Adelaide at the same time, Jasmine arrives in Perth in the afternoon, about 2.5 hours before the day. At around 8:30 pm local time, she sees something and falls asleep easily. Then she woke up very early to start her day.
Because Jasmine’s biological clock is naturally delayed – a little later each day relative to local time – she was fully in sync after a few days.
Meanwhile, Sarah landed in Oakland about 2.5 hours late in the day. She took advantage of the warm evening and some time during the night to stay awake until 2 a.m. Then, when the alarm went off at 7am, she struggled to get up because her biological clock was still at 4.30am.
Sarah may feel the effects of jet lag more severely than Jasmin, and for a longer period of time.
The process of aligning your biological clock with the new time zone can begin while you are still on the plane.
The process of aligning your biological clock with the new time zone can begin while you are still on the plane.
Daniel Avram/Adobe Stock
Is jet lag just “mental”?
Some of you may be wondering if jet lag reactions are just in your head. Well, to some extent it is, because it’s a mismatch between your body’s internal time (as determined by your brain) and your local time.
But that doesn’t mean you can talk yourself out of jet lag reaction. It’s best to think of it as a physical condition, not a psychological one.
Fortunately, there are simple ways to alleviate jet lag symptoms and help you adjust your biological clock. This is especially important for elite athletes who travel for competition.
1. First, decide if it’s worth trying to adjust to the new times. If it’s just a short trip, it may make more sense to stay home for the duration. If it’s longer than three days, begin to consciously adjust your rhythm – such as sleeping, eating, exercising and sunbathing time – to the new time zone.
2. If you want to change your biological clock, it’s best to start on the plane. Set your watch to the time zone of your destination and schedule your activities accordingly.
3. Keep your caffeine and alcohol intake low during the trip. This will facilitate sleep and hydration and help adjust your biological clock to the new time zone. 4.
4. When adjusting to the new time zone, try to sleep during the local night and rest when it is time to rest at other times. A short nap will give you the energy you need to complete your day and night activities. Aim for about 30 minutes, and avoid naps later in the day near your actual planned bedtime.
5. Gastrointestinal distress is a symptom of jet lag. If you tend to have or experience tummy problems while traveling, eat smaller meals and eat when you are hungry. Your body will tell you when you are ready to eat. Tip 3 about caffeine and alcohol also applies here. 6.
6. Get outside. Sunlight is the key to adjusting to a new time zone. Depending on the time zone you are in, it can be helpful to get outside at appropriate intervals.
