kenwood

I am based in North America. When I flew to Asian region countries, it didn't take me any time to adjust for the time zone difference. But on my return trip, I found that I am severely jet lagged on the 2nd and 3rd day. It can take up to a full week to recover. How do those of you who travel often, manage to stay productive after coming back from another side of the world?

SEA-Flyer

Some mixture of choosing the right flight times and supplements/drugs.

For now, my usual long haul routes are CDG-SEA-CDG (used to be NRT-SEA-NRT). One thing that I've done that has helped with jetlag is to choose flights based on time of day, and not on distance, even if it means adding a connection.

Delta flies SEA-CDG nonstop, but I refuse to fly it as it leaves SEA in the early afternoon (too early to sleep) and gets into Paris in the morning (have to struggle through the entire day trying to stay alert).

Instead, I've been flying SEA-LHR-CDG on Delta. Leaves SEA in the evening - get on board, have dinner and once you're done it is 8-9pm, so it is much easier to get some sleep. Get into London, have a shower during the layover in the Lounge, get into Paris, have dinner and then go to bed. So much easier on the body.

Melatonin helps some also. But, earlier this year, I was starting to come down with a cold right before the flight, I bought some ClearQuil, figuring that I didn't want to be dealing with a sinus issue while flying. That stuff knocked me completely out - fell asleep right after dinner and didn't wake up until final approach into London. Took it for each of the next couple nights and slept like a log - was much easier to get on local time. Have done it for subsequent trips and it has worked great.

superangrypenguin

Melatonin helps for sure.

vasantn

I just sleep through the entire flight and hardly ever suffer from jet lag. Coming back to the US from Israel earlier this week, I slept 11 hours, landed at 5:40am, and went straight to work.

9Benua

Match your sleeping patterns to the arrival destination which might meant staying awake for full day if you can't sleep on the first night.

Tchiowa

Live with it. I've been flying intercontinental for 3 decades. About 3 million miles in the air. Right now I fly TPAC 6 - 8 times a year. Jet lag is simply something you learn to deal with.

You can do things like forcing yourself into your new time zone for a couple of days before you get there, but that only helps a little and screws up your life before you go rather than after.

When I fly SFO/BKK for work I schedule myself to arrive on a Wednesday or Thursday that way I have a couple of days to recover before Monday morning comes around.

mickeydfly13

It's hard, especially if you are in economy class and not flying in a fancy seat. I have found just getting some fresh air upon arrival helps.

Steve M

Those are two different ways to ask the same question. The answer IMHO is to fly in Business class or higher, and get plenty of sleep on the flight. This is why many businesses are willing to pay for such seats - what's the extra cost of the seat, vs 2-3 days of lost productivity in each direction?

You read about how some people make a big production out of adjusting to the new time zone several days in advance. As someone else already pointed out, that's just moving the disruption to your life to before the flight rather than after it. Also, I think that in some ways, it makes it worse, as you get all worked up about it being a big problem and turn it into an ordeal by doing so.

lhrsfo

I don't agree with this in its entirety. I regularly fly LHR-SFO, an 8 hour time difference, going West. It's easy to go to bed, and get up an hour and a half, or so, later for a couple of days before departure - not disruptive at all. When there, I operate on an earlier timescale than in London (which works well as in California they do everything an hour or two earlier anyway). That means that I'm only trying to adjust 4 - 5 hours rather than the full 8 hours. It helps hugely without being at all disruptive.

For the eastbound, however, I really struggle and agree absolutely with the OP's issues. SEA-Flyer's advice is entirely sensible. Get a flight that departs late so that you have a chance of sleep, and you minimize the following day when you are a complete zombie.

DrRodneyMcKay

As someone who has insomnia and has had it since pretty much the age of 4 (urgh) jet lag has always been a problem for me. I used to be able to get up very early the place I'm flying from, not sleep on the flight, and then stay up until a reasonable time (i.e. 9pm) in the place I'm flying too. After being awake for 30-ish hours I'd just crash, but my insomnia has gotten worse since then, so I usually go straight to sleep medication (over the counter or prescription).

However, I've also worked with a sleep therapist on my insomnia, and he offered some techniques for keeping my internal body clock regulated that I think could help with jet lag. Exposing yourself to very bright light (as in, going outside without sunglasses bright light) within an hour after you get up for at least 30 mins tells your body when to stop producing melatonin. If you go outside in the evening/late afternoon, wear sunglasses so that your body doesn't think it's morning. Combine that with melatonin - studies have shown that if you take melatonin in a .5mg dose about 4 hours before bedtime it'll be most effective. That and the usual sleep hygiene "avoid computer screens before bed" thing. I know these all sound like annoying things to do, but they have helped me with my sleep and jet lag is all about regulating your body clock so that it adjusts to the day/night cycle of where you are.

Glamette

I had the same problem. Going west wasn't as bad as coming back east. For me it was JFK-NRT-JFK. Getting back to NY after sometimes months in Japan was hell. What I do is get a flight that lands in NY in the morning or early afternoon. I spend the day I land outside, whether it's going to restaurants, going to work, etc. Try to spend the day in the sun, it will help to keep you awake. The first day I get back, I aim for a 8pm bedtime. Then I just "up" it an hour to 9pm the next day.

mandolino

As posters above have said: live with it.
Work around it if possible.
It doesn't bother me much flying west but flying east really knocks me, and like others here, I've been doing it for three decades and more.

What works for me flying east (typically from UK to Eastern Russia, Korea, Australia or NZ):

1. Try to choose flights that arrive in the evening. Arriving in the morning is tough.

2. Try to arrive at least a weekend before you have to do a full day's work. It may seem strange, but I'm usually OK for meetings the morning I arrive, brain fades quickly in the afternoon though. Arrive Thursday or Friday, schedule maybe one meeting each day at most, chill out over the weekend, walk, exercise.

3. Eat light food for a few days. For me that means salads, juices, no alcohol, meat or bread (all of which I love later in the trip!), plenty of water.

4. I avoid family and social contacts for the first few days until my moods stabilised a bit. The psychological effects of jetlag can catch you unprepared! For me they include uncharacteristic crabbiness and a tendency to get weepy at sad movies, which never happens to me any other time. Family and friends don't always understand this.

Ocn Vw 1K

kenwood, the topic is discussed fairly regularly in the forum.

Here is a lengthier thread with discussion spanning more time. Ocn Vw 1K, Co-Moderator.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ul-travel.html

N830MH

Yeah, I didn't sleep at a whole time. I stay barely awake during my flight. I arrive in BSL and I was so extremely tired. I have to take a nap at my brother's house. I have to sleep more. I didn't wake up in a couple days. I was so tired from working & flying. I was awake more than 24 hours. I struggle to get some sleep.

schranerli

I try to follow this simple rules:

* arriving in the morning) try to sleep on the plane and then stay awake till evening
* arriving in the evening) try to keep awake during the flight and go to bed as normal

Some other users also mentioned it similar: forcing yourself into the new timezone. means no sleep during daytime, force you to sleep during night time.

I don't normally need more than a day or two to be fine with the new timezone.