A long flight can seriously disrupt your biological clock. After arrival you can suffer from jet lag for days. But you can do a lot yourself to limit jet lag.
The precise sleep and wake rhythm of the biological clock gets confused by fast traveling across time zones. At the place of arrival, the body suddenly has to adapt to a different sleep-wake rhythm. This manifests itself in jet lag: fatigue, problems with concentration, digestion and difficulty falling asleep. Severe jet lag can even lead to aggressive behavior, a feeling of disorientation and temporary memory loss.
Eastbound
The body’s biological clock can adjust itself by 1 hour every 24 hours without much noticeable consequences. If you exceed more time zones, you will notice the consequences.
You can suffer from jet lag, especially if you are flying eastbound, because the day is shorter. If you fly with the sun, for example from the Netherlands to the US, the day will be longer and you will experience fewer problems.
Adjust your sleep schedule
Your body needs time to recover after arriving at the destination. If you get on the plane tired on departure, the recovery time will only take longer. So ensure a relaxed departure; take plenty of time for it.
You can also adjust the sleeping times a few days before the trip. The Dutch Association for Sleep and Wake Research (NSWO) advises to use it from four days before a long flight sleep rhythm of your biological clock a helping hand. If you are traveling east, go to bed 1 or 2 hours earlier. If you are traveling west, go to bed just an hour later.
No coffee and alcohol
Drink shortly before departure, but also on board, preferably no coffee or alcohol. Due to the very dry air on board, your body already loses more moisture than normal. Alcohol provides an even stronger drying effect.
Coffee can disrupt sleep. It is better according to the Light and Health Research Foundation to drink water regularly, which helps prevent fatigue, dehydration and headaches.
On-board
As soon as you are on board, set your watch to the current time at your destination. This way you can get used to the new daily schedule.
eat light
Due to the adjustments your body has to make, the digestion slower than normal. It is therefore wise not to eat heavy meals shortly before departure or on the plane. It is absolutely ideal if you eat a light meal at the time that is customary at the destination.
Exercise regularly
Regularly stimulate circulation by doing a few simple exercises in your airplane seat. This helps to prevent the so-called aircraft thrombosis and you feel less tired. For example, use these in-flight fitness exercises of Jetlag Prevention.
No sleeping pills
It may seem tempting to help your sleep rhythm with a sleeping aid. However, many doctors advise against this. Sleeping pills can lead to faster formation of small blood clots. On a long flight you also have a slightly higher chance of aircraft thrombosis, due to the long sitting still and dehydration.
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