Avoiding/Curing Jet Lag
 

do you bring an inflatable pillow on the plane, take a homeopathic pill, stay up all day, something else?

what is your secret?

I try to sleep as much as possible on the plane. I find a herbal sleeping pill can help.

Then I just try to get myself into the new time zoone as soon as I can. So yes that means not going to sleep until at least 10pm and also eating my meals at normal times.

I try to adjust to my new time zone a little bit the day before I fly out when going eastbound... On westbound runs, I try to adjust to the local time by sleeping OR forcing myself to stay awake during the flight. A good way to do this is to UNDERSLEEP on purpose before a westbound run - hence you tend to sleep a little on the flight.

An example of this is SFO-TPE depart mid-day or so; some people sleep, I will stay awake as you get into TPE at 7PM or so - hence I want to be tired to sleep normal local time.

Going eastbound I try to get as much sleep (if I land early AM) and try to stay awake as late as possible to sleep normal local time. However if you are one of those people that always wakes and sleeps the same time while at home - you may be up at 4AM anyway... I however don't have a set sleep pattern when at home due to early or late conf calls - so I seem to pick any time to get 7 or 8 hours sleep - even when travelling



[This message has been edited by NickP 1K (edited 04-22-2003).]

I go to England a lot and find taking a good sleeping pill (a Rx thing called Restoril) really helps me avoid any jet lag on the way over. One doesn't wake up feeling groggy - a real plus. Coming back to the East Coast is never so easy! A lot of people swear by melatonin but I've never tried that.

I'm one of them, and I'm currently taking some now http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

It has been very effective for me. I take 1 pill (1mg) before bedtime. It has done several things for me:
1/ Made falling asleep easier
2/ Let me sleep a full night
3/ Wake up and not feel groggy

Of course, you will still feel tired after a long flight, but you definitely lose the groggy, half-asleep feeling that jet lag normally produces.

It's pretty cheap and easy to find in the US, but it's not approved in France so you can't get it here. Don't know if it is like that elsewhere in Europe.

I've taken a homeopathic pill called "No Jet Lag" for a few years now, and I've found it helps. It may be a placebo, but I'm sticking with it.

I also tend to undersleep a bit the night before (although more by coincidence than design), which has generally helped me to sleep better on the plane. I will say that flying first class has also helped tremendously! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/wink.gif

I have to fly 12+ hours non-stop most of the time. So I say this in all honesty. Business class or better. On long flights that go through the intl. dateline, comfort always wins versus any kind or drug for me.

Too true. This is the best policy, but no matter the class of service, here are my strategies:

1. On a redeye, I eat before I get on the plane and use absolutely all available time for sleeping (no reading, snacks, movies, etc.). NO ALCOHOL, and no pills. I just put the eyeshades on and earplugs in and sit there until I get so bored that I fall asleep.

2. To sleep on the plane, I always use earplugs, eyeshades, a blanket, and the key--the inflatable neck pillow. I swear by this thing, which looks ridiculous but works like magic. If you can stand it (I can't), sit in a middle or window seat so nobody wakes you up to climb over you.

3. When I get to my destination, I take a shower and change my clothes. Then I stay up until bedtime in that location, no matter how wrecked I am. A quick nap is OK if I'm absolutely passing out, but that's it.

All this works for me. I often do the PHL-LHR redeye (which is only about 6 hours--tough because it's so short) and go straight to work in London the next day. Painful, but do-able. After one night of sleep I am totally fine.

Variations on a theme, but these work for me:

East Coast to Europe:
- Take a melatonin at about 7pm each night for 2 or 3 nights before the trip.
- (optional) Take a day flight to Europe. The best way to avoid debilitating jet lag, imho. Rather than having to deal with a 5/6hour change _and_ a crappy night's sleep, you're only dealing with one out of two.
- Overnight- go to sleep as quickly as possible. Skip meal service if you can.
- Stay up until at least 11pm at your local destination (once again easier if you took the day flight!). Get sunlight and be active during the day, if possible.

Europe to East Coast:
- Never had a problem- usually take flights arriving home in the evening, so going straight to sleep isn't a problem.

East Coast to/from Asia- only done it twice haven't worked out a system yet.

JFK to South America was great- overnight flights in both directions, only one hour's time change and long enough to get real sleep.

I would echo what Buster said about No Jet Lag, a homeopathic pill you can find in most airports. It does contain melatonin, but it worked for me on the 10 hour change between DEN and SIN. More here: http://www.nojetlag.com/

I would echo all of the sentiments here. However, I have not found that eating a meal on the plane disturbs my sleep patterns too much, but YMMV...

As for naps, I have not found it counterproductive to take a "quickie" upon arrival (I'm thinking specifically of eastbound flights). By quickie, I recommend nothing over 45 minutes. In fact, 15-20 minutes is the perfect time to feel refreshed for most of the day -- it can keep me going at least until 9-10PM. Anything over that 15-20 minute nap and I typically am groggy unless I get my heart-rate up and some fresh air. The suggestion about sun was a good one -- this helps to reset the body clock during the day. Try not to stay indoors, but keep your body active and your mind focused! Don't sleep in too late the next morning either. It will be hell to get out of bed, but you owe it to yourself!

1. Eastbound to Europe - I always take a Halcion (Rx). Works perfectly. I also do this on any really long flights (LAX-SYD, or HKG) regardless of time of day.
2. Arrive and stay up late, no naps. Get lots of sun and exercise if you can...even if it's just a walk in the fresh air.
3. Take one melatonin (non-Rx) starting on your second night for two nights. After this you should be adjusted.
3. On the way home, don't sleep. Keep you window shade up, pretend it's a very long day. If you HAVE to sleep, limit it to the first half of the flight.
4. When you arrive stay up til your normal time at home.
5. Repeat step 3.

Guaranteed no jet lag at all for me...been doing this for years. Dr's are happy to prescribe Halcion (but they may suggest some newer ones...I've tried one that didn't work but don't remember the name. Most other folks seem to think it's great). Halcion is the trade name...the clinical one is Triazolam, and I think it might be marketed under the name Restoril (the other drug mentioned in an earlier reply) as well, but I am not sure about this.

Happy ZZZZZs

I would caution on melatonin. I use it. Love it. Swear by it. I do not take any sleep medications that sedate but melatonin is not sedating. It simply adjusts our brain to BE READY to go to sleep.

My word of caution: Homeopathic, herbal and "natural" drugs are not FDA regulated. Consequently there is no regulation on what does or does not go into that pill or powder that is sold. Some herbal drugs have recently been found to contain high levels of lead, for example. Some will have no trace of the advertised drug but will instead use a self-coined alternative.

I use a major brand-name (Walgreens, CVS, etc.). never anything bought on the web. I also take it about 10 hours before I need to be fully awake, especially if I have eaten in the last four hours.

p.s. for me:
1) melatonin
2) earplugs (ALWAYS) and $8 store bought eyemask
3) snacks and water under seat in front of me
4) window seat to avoid being disturbed
5) adjust sleep/wake day before to simulate destination
6)pillow and blanket(s)


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"Oh heck, bring me a quad."

I actually prefer longer length flights just to get time for the meal, wind down - then sleep.

On East Coast to Europe flights, I concur with those here, skip the meal and get the sleep...