Holidays abroad: how to deal with jet lag?

 Holidays abroad: how to deal with jet lag?

One of the disadvantages of going on vacation abroad is the disruption associated with jet lag. To avoid wasting part of your stay fighting the harmful effects of jet lag, here are some simple steps to take.

You are excited to travel. Only downside: the jet lag of the first days which can be difficult to manage. This can cause sleep disturbances, mood disturbances, digestive disorders or even persistent fatigue during the first days of vacation. The syndrome of desynchronization of the biological clock, or "jet lag", really occurs from four hours of delay of the point of arrival with the point of departure, knowing that the trips from west to east are more disturbing than the trips. 

East to west travel . For example, a New York-Paris flight is more disruptive than a Paris-New York flight. " This can be explained by the fact that it is easier to lengthen the evening than to get up earlier in the morning,", estimates Dr. Martin, specialist in travel medicine. The number of days during which the traveler is likely to suffer from jet lag corresponds to two thirds of the number of time zones, for a trip to the East. For example, if 6 time zones separate the destination of departure from that of arrival, the traveler should experience 4 " somewhat complicated " days . On the other hand, if the trip is to the West, this number can be divided by two. 100% of your vacation, discover our anti jet lag advice.

1. Gradually adapt to the shift

Those who are about to experience a significant jet lag can begin to adapt to it a few days before their departure, by shifting the time of getting up and going to bed half an hour by half an hour, depending on the time at their location. vacation. This technique will be very suitable for children. Studies have shown that the biological clock is more supportive of trips to the West, which require you to delay bedtime, than flights to the East. In this second case, it is necessary to shorten the duration of one day. As a result, the day before departure, it may be useful to go to bed an hour or two earlier for a trip east, if not one or two hours later for a vacation in the other direction. It is also better to regulate your missed hours of sleep during the days preceding the trip to be in the best conditions. In any case, the most effective trick is to arrive late at the resort to spend the night and immediately adapt to the rhythm of the country. 

2. Eat before leaving for the airport

One of the tips would be to sit down just before leaving for the airport. The goal: to take advantage of the drowsiness induced by digestion . This could make it easier for passengers to fall asleep during the flight. In addition, it has been shown that copious meals taken on the plane prevented finding the arms of Morpheus. Another tip: to better tame jet lag, Dr. Martin recommends eating very light on the plane. 

3. Set your watch as soon as the plane takes off

On the plane, it is advisable to put your watch on time at your destination as soon as possible. This allows you to get used to the idea of ​​the time change. Ideally, meals should also be taken according to the time of the country of arrival.

4. Limit the consumption of alcohol and coffee during the flight

Alcohol is known to disrupt sleep and does not help the traveler to stall their cycle upon arrival. Also, alcohol dehydrates even more when consumed at altitude. However, passengers need to hydrate even more than usual. For its part, the cafe presents the same problem, managing to keep the passenger awake when he might need to recharge the batteries by taking a nap. Moreover, the doctors are not against the observation of short naps during the stay . They should not exceed 20 minutes so as not to interfere with the night sleep cycle.

5. Immediately adopt the rhythm of life on site

As soon as you arrive at your vacation spot, it is essential to conform to the local rhythm of life. Meal times and bedtime should not be offset from this . If you arrive from the airport in the middle of the afternoon, you should not go to bed directly, but rather force yourself to stay awake until the evening. In addition, to better adapt to the rhythm of life during a long stay, it is advisable to keep the habits of the country of departure. For example, if someone is used to jogging in the morning, they can do the same in their country of arrival, to keep the same pace.

6. Take care of the first few days

On arrival on site, you have to spare yourself the first few days. There is no need to burn yourself out, as it will take two or three nights for the body to get used to the change.

7. Favor proteins for breakfast

During the stay, a breakfast consisting of proteins, that is to say with eggs , cold meats and yoghurts will help the body to stay awake. The batteries will be recharged and will allow you to be in shape to tackle the hours of walking that await the traveler. 

8. Take advantage of the early morning sunlight for trips to the East

The trips to the East, that is to say to Asia, being more complicated for the biological clock, it is advisable to get up early in the morning to make the most of the sun. In fact, light helps regulate the biological rhythm. It is a good way to quickly get in touch with the daily life of the country visited.