jetlog is a common problem for travelers...how you cope with it?

Hi janebernal, here are some tips you can use to lessen the effect or avoid jet lag:


1. Drink plenty of water as you travel to your destination and after you arrive. If you are dehydrated, it will take you longer to adapt to the new time zone.


2. Sleep on the plane to be alert and awake if you will be arriving in the morning or early afternoon. Stay awake on the plane to be sleepy upon arrival if you'll reach your destination in the evening or at night.


3. If you arrive at your final destination in the morning, try to stay awake all day. Drink small amounts of coffee, tea or caffeinated soda to wake you up (too much caffeine will further disrupt your sleep cycle). Keep napping to a minimum.


4. If you arrive in the evening, go to sleep at your normal bedtime according to the new time zone. That is, if your bedtime at home is 11 p.m., go to bed at that time in your new location. You may want to ask your doctor to recommend an over-the-counter sleeping aid.


5. If your trip is shorter than 48 hours, schedule meetings according to your home time zone. If the new time zone is 3 hours ahead of your normal time, schedule late morning or afternoon meetings when you will be awake and alert. For example, a 1 p.m. meeting is at 10 a.m. according to your internal clock.


6. Expose yourself to bright light and exercise in the morning in the new time zone. This helps reset your internal clock.


7. Eat small meals throughout the day while you adjust to the new mealtimes. Keep a snack by your bed if your regular dinnertime occurs in the middle of the night in the new time zone.


8. Give your body time to make the switch. If you feel very drowsy during the day, take a nap for up to one hour, but make sure it's before evening. Avoid pushing yourself too hard during the first few days.


These are just few among the tips you can find at eHowTo website which is my personal favorite practical tips site. Hope this helps.

I really love to travel and fly by plane to get far away quickly. The longest flight I have been on was Singapore to London and that was 14 hours long. The excitement of getting home after more than a year away kept me awake. Another long flight I have done was London to Hong Kong, that was about 14 hours as well and I had a hot climate to get used to there. A long flight of over 10 hours has been London to Los Angeles, and that was very tiring because the flight left at 12 noon and I arrived at 3pm, but my body clock thought it was 2am. I went to bed at 8pm and woke up at 4am local time. Now I have learned how to avoid jet lag. I have rest before I fly so I don't miss lost sleep time and have lots of water to drink on the plane. I keep my legs every hour to avoid them aching. I sleep at local time when I reach my destination. I usually take things easy for the first couple of days. When I go to Australia and New Zealand I take plenty of stopovers. Good look avoiding jet lag.

I've been to Europe 3 times. The first time when I was 14, but the other 2 as an adult. In 95 I tried really hard to sleep on the plane, but just couldn't really do it. So, when I went back in 02 I took some meds that made me sleep! I arrived about the time (6 hours) the meds wore off & I was ready to go, but since my roomie didn't want to try it (it was her first time overseas since she went to the Philippines as a child with her dad who was a service man) we hung out in the hotel while she slept. Well, I slept too, but I can pretty much sleep when ever I get flat, dating back to a bad sprained ankle in the 1980's.

If possible, fly during the day. You are less likely to feel jet lag if you arrive at your destination in the evening and then stay awake until bedtime.

Get plenty of rest before you depart: at least 8 hours' sleep a night in the week before you travel.

Start adjusting to the new time zone when you begin your journey. Get used to the new time zone by setting your watch to your destination time as soon as you board the plane. If possible, plan your meals and sleep times around this time during the flight.

Drink plenty of water or fruit juice before and during the flight to prevent dehydration, and avoid alcihol, coffee, or cola drinks. Eat light meals and avoid fatty or salty foods.

As soon as you arrive at your destination, adopt the local eating, walking, and sleeping times. Take a walk in daylight to help your body clock adjust.

Avoid alcohol or caffeinated drinks within 3 hours of bedtime as they will make sleep more difficult.

Jet lag can affect judgement and concentration, so do not drive until you have adapted to local time.