Anybody had jet lag?

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Lilac Lady

Jet lag is when you go to a different time zone and your body clock needs time to adjust. So if you go to a country 10 hours infront, you get used to waking up at their 8am, when you come back home you will go back 10 hours so you will be sleepy at lunch time and wide awake at bed time.
You need to be able to sleep, but it all depends on the time difference, not the flight time. I'd try to sleep on the plan to counteract it a little but I'd defo take the day off after you land.

bubbell

I would go to work the day after that, honestly you'll need the sleep.

Helena

As soon as you get on the plane, adjust your watch to the local time at your destination, and then sleep / stay awake at the appropriate times, however hard it may be.

uninorth13

Which way are you flying - east or west?

I've had on some intercontinental flights. So some things that will work :
avoid heavy meals for hte 3-4 days before flight already. Eat lots of fresh food (fruit, veggies etc). Drink a lot of water (cabin air can make you really thirsty). Avoiding coffee and alcohol on air should make you feel easier to adjust to new time zone.
When you arrive where you are going to, stick to the day rhythm there. So if it's morning there, continue it as if it was normal morning, and the same no matter what time of day it is. On the first night you will most likely be more tired, and fall asleep easier, but try to stay awake until the hour the people usually go to sleep (or at least until 8 or 9) so that you will wake up the next morning, not at night.

cherub

It is caused by flying across a number of timezones within the same flight and the symptoms include feeling light headed or heavy headed, exhaustion, groggy,one often has swollen feet after a long haul flight too. Try to exercise your feet and ankles during the flight every 30 minutes. Walk about every so often as well. Avoid heavy food before and during flight. Avoid alcohol before and during flight but drink as much water as you can. Wear comfortable airy clothes and shoes. Get a good nights sleep before your flight. Try and settle into the time zone of country of destination as soon as possible. Stay up if you can until it is time to go to bed. That helps.

**********

Youâ€™ll be exhausted trying to go to work after a ten hour flight, can you not book the day off or at least take a half day. If you are anything like me you will end up falling asleep without any warning because of exhaustion/jet lag. I also start to feel really sick when I am too tired all of which is not a good combination for work!!!

Petra

Jet Lag varies from person to person just depending. It tends to happen more when travelling east but can alslo happen when going west. Give yourself about 1 day per time zone to fully recover. If possible as soon as you hit about 8:00 in the time zone you are currently in take some Melatonin, you can buy it at your local pharmacy. Melatonin in its natural form is secreted by the pineal gland, a pea-size structure at the center of the brain, as our eyes register the fall of darkness. A melatonin suppliment can help ease the effects of jet lag and help you get used to your new time zone. As for your work day following your trip all I can suggest is that you try to sleep on the plane. A eye mask will help and if you have time a melatonin on the plane. (Take one before so you can be sure you won't have any side effects.) try to find something for puffiness around your eyes and coffee to help during the day. Eat well and stay hydrated it will help you feel and look better. Good luck

anastasha

if u r suffer frm jet lagging thn u r gonna need a lot of sleep.
But it makes u feel sleepy at the day, and awake at the nite.
Try to set your life to the local time.
I will have a lot of coffee to stay myself frm sleepiness, and thn u'll b able to fall asleep whn nite comes.

beverley1156

Do'nt drink alchohol,it dehydrates you and as flying does dehydrate you anyway it just makes it worse.I doubt if you will get jet lag after a 10 hour flight,just try and sleep as much as possible and drink plenty of water.I have gone round the world 6 times and only got jet lag once and it was like being drunk!

emz

if you have to work the next day drink plenty of water and eat at the same time as you do at home this helps get your body back into your timezone

Afallon

I've found it worse on the way East.I got it quite badly in the Maldives but not as bad in the Carribean, my wife was the other way round...I can't explain why.

Spike

We went to Hawaii in one long journey so didnt have any time to adjust to the different time zones. I can best describe it as being drunk but with all your faculties intact. We would be in our hotel room and it felt like the room swayed ( like a gentle earthquake) and i would say to my family " did you feel that" and sometimes they would say yes because they were affected too. You can get some drugs at chemists or at airports which can help a lot but my best tip is a large scotch whisky just before you have an early night.

laplandfan

I had the reverse in that I got jet lag following flight home from Australia to UK. Just slept when i got home but kept waking up at 3am and not being able to get back to sleep. Was still in Oz time! It took about 4 days to get back to normal.

I would have a couple of days off work before going back after a long haul flight.

JULIE S

There is not much you can do it affects people ifferently try and sleep on the flight then if you need to go to work go and try and do a short day go home have a meal and try and get an early night. Change your watch once you have taken off as well so that you are on home time. I have had jet lag and you do feel wiped out for a day or so

QueenBee

I don't think I've ever had jet lag (I understood it to be when your body stays in the wrong time-zone), but yes I've felt really tired after long-haul flights. The worst is obviously the likes of the 20+ hour trips I do to Oz, but I've even felt bone-weary after the 4 hour flight to the Canaries! If say, the flight lands at 3pm, then I'll stay up until the night time of the new place, or if it lands at 3am, I'll go to bed and set an alarm for about 10am so that I've had a lie in, but not too much! I think it is a case of drinking plenty of liquids (tea, coffee and alcohol are not too good on flights) eating enough (chocolate is another thing that I've heard isn't the best thing to eat) and enjoying the ride!! Have a great trip, I hope your in-flight movie is good!!

Gabriel D

I've had it...I felt tired and uncomfortable and my stomach hurt...the airplane food sucked and it gave me diarreha =X and the bathrooms were distgusting so i had to hold it for like an hour! Luckily we where close to our destinition! Try getting a conecting flight so you can get off the plane and maybe get some rest and some good food in a hotel or somthing. Before you fly get some food and rest, keep hydrated too! If I were you I would get in and head straight home...get some rest, relax and maybe order some food and have them deliver it because you are going to be sleepy! Trust me save the work for a day or 2 settle in don't worry about it...

Dingle-Dongle

I flew to Australia and got jet lag going but nothing coming home.

To experience the feeling of jetlag, stay up for a full 24 hours and then stay awake until it is your normal bedtime the day after. Thats what it feels like.

Air Travel XPERT!

Jet lag is when you go back in time. I mostly go forward.
I have occasionally had jet lag when I flew to Barbados and Tobago.

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