Targetaquired

Hey guys,

I've looked through some tips against jetlag and some of the tips seem garbage. However, there are some devices that can reduce jetlag with shining light into your eyes. Has that been proven? Is that working? Anyone has any experiences? I saw some articles saying that it was proven, but it seems kinda dangerous.

Paint Horse

Neither my wife or I ever get jet lag on trips from DFW to Europe. We just tell ourselves shortly after we leave DFW that it is now whatever time it is at the destination and act accordingly. For example, on leaving DFW last month at 9 pm, we went to bed as it was 3 am at LHR. You wake up 7 hours or so later and it is 10 am. No jet lag, body and mind adjusted.

Thomps000

That's generally my practice as well. As soon as getting on the plane, I change my watch to the destination time and act as if it is that time. Hasn't failed me once. Normally the second day is the toughest when changing time zones for a lot of people I travel with.

mickeydfly13

It's tough. Not everyone can fly in F or J, and it can be difficult to get any sleep in the back of the bus. Telling yourself it's now 7 hours later than it is, and time to sleep doesn't work for me. My body doesn't believe my brain and won't be tricked to sleep so easily. I find it is best to try to be active upon arrival in the first day. After a day or two it gets easier. For me, 3 or 4 day trips from Chicago to Europe is the norm so I don't mind not getting fully acclimated to a new time zone since I'm going back fairly quickly anyway.

Annalisa12

I don't think I am tired from jetlag. I am just tired from travelling. Even lying down on a plane I don't sleep that well.

travelinmanS

Booze helps

RRDD

OP ... are you traveling east or west?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jet_lag

Badenoch

I agree. Much of the fatigue I always ascribed to jet lag on overnight TATLs was likely more the product of interrupted and fitful sleep compounded by attempting to stay awake during the first day. My first YYZ-LHR that left in the morning was a revelation and I adapted more readily.

IMO people fret too much about jet lag. You will adjust to the new time zone and going through assorted pre-flight machinations always seemed like too much bother.

Targetaquired

Well, sofar I have not had too much trouble with jetlag on my vaccations , but I will be traveling a lot now and I feel that going over 4 time zones will defiantly have an effect on me and I want to stay fit on my meetings. I looked over some scientific evidence and besides the conventional "stay hydrated ,eat and sleep" methods the blue light seems to be the most sophisticated (scientifically).

I was just thinking that I could get some input from the community on products like that. Just an opinion or experiences about it. I read a lot of skepticism even though the scientific evidence seem compelling to me.

Here's one of the more sophisticated studies I found:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...eport=abstract

SeriouslyLost

That.

Personally, I just adjust to the destination time once I'm on board. Big transitions also seem easier to me than short. 26 hours travelling and 10 time zones? No worries. Four hour flight and a two hour timezone shift? I'm buggered for 2-3 days.

impedimenta

http://www.sciencemag.org/content/32.../1074.abstract

Not a frequent flyer, but I use a fasting regime based on this research to good effect - five flights crossing 8 time zones each time in coach left me tired and stupid but not feeling particularly jet lagged and I completely recovered in less than two days in each case.

One of the researchers gives some background on how and why this works and pointers on how to apply the results to prevent jet lag: http://http://www.sciencefriday.com/segment/05/23/2008/circadian-clock-sets-at-lunchtime.html. The interview is about 15 minutes.

horse glasses

For some reason no amount of planning or techniques work for me. It seems like just being on a plane makes me very tired, no matter how many time zones or what time of day. Even if I'm just doing a transcon with an extra stop or two thrown in, it just takes a lot out of me. I wish it didn't, but when I can't stay awake anymore, I can't stay awake. Doesn't matter where I am or what time it is - I wish there was a way to change that!

PLeblond

I am not sure I would shine a light directly into my eyes. That sounds a little off putting to me. I think the source behind this is that as the sun rises, the light resets your circadian clock. I would think that it needs to be after an appropriate amount of darkness to 'trick' your brain into believing its time to wake up.

My personal suggesting is similar to what has been stated here. Immediately put my watch onto the destination time and stop asking yourself 'what time is it back home?' Secondly, I don't really sleep on planes, even in J, so when I get to a destination I push myself to stay awake as late as I can. We've all gone to bed to late, or did a days work on just a few hours sleep, so you know its possible. For example, when flying TATL to Europe, you usually land in the morning. DON'T go to bed. Stay up work/visit, whatever you're there for and try to go to bed after 21:00 or 22:00. Then you are usually really tired, get a good 8 hours and when you wake up, most of the jet lag has passed. My 2 cents n the subject.