Are you going on an intercontinental trip? If you have decided to cross several time zones to reach your summer holiday destination, you could easily suffer from jet lag on arrival. 

Jet lag: what is it? 

Usually, the problem of “jet lag” occurs when there is a difference of 3 or ti hours between the time zone of departure and arrival, flying from west to east and even vice versa, but not when traveling along the same meridian, i.e. from north to south or vice versa. 

Jet lag is more annoying when traveling eastwards because we lose hours and the alternation of night and day no longer coincides with the circadian rhythms of our biological clock, which has to put its hands… back on the right time. 

Jet lag: Symptoms 

The biological reset is not always immediate, on the contrary. Our body struggles to adapt to this space-time gap and is at risk of experiencing discomfort before recovering the right rhythm.  

The most common and typical symptoms of jet lag are: 

• Insomnia or irregular and difficult sleep 

• Dizziness and mental confusion 

• Tiredness 

• Difficulty in concentration 

• Anxiety 

• Irritability 

• Gastrointestinal disorders, such as constipation and nausea 

How to counteract jet lag 

One day could not be enough to recover the correct rhythm by delaying one’s biological clock. The main factors that affect adaptation to the new time zone are meal times and exposure to sunlight. 

Adhering to meal times in the new time zone and getting as much sunlight as possible can help readjust your sleep-wake cycle. 

To avoid being surprised by jet lag, which could easily ruin our holiday plans, it is advisable to play it safe by adopting a few precautions before leaving: 

• A few days before the flight, it is advisable to postpone (if traveling west) or anticipate (if traveling east) bedtime by one or two hours a day; 

• Avoid stimulating drinks containing caffeine – coffee, coke, etc. – and alcohol, both before departure and on arrival; 

• If possible, it is better to travel overnight and try to rest as much as possible on the plane if it is daytime on arrival; 

• A carbohydrate-based menu during the flight and a more energetic meal after the fatigue of the trip has passed can also help minimize the effects of jet lag; 

• A food supplement of Melatonin, a natural substance produced by our brain to regulate the sleep-wake cycle, can help us get back into the right rhythm more quickly, promoting relaxation, the ability to fall asleep at the right time, and to sleep well, limiting night awakenings. 

Melatonin and sleep: the effects 

It is precisely melatonin secretion that complicates our lives after a long flight through meridians. 

The reason? Our organism continues its daily work following the circadian rhythms to which it is accustomed, thus secreting this hormone at times that usually precede falling asleep before departure. The Melatonin peak is, in fact, physiologically maximum during the night hours. 

In addition, on arrival and in the following 48-72 hours, we must also consider the variations in the light/dark alternation and thus our habits. 

Taking a correct dose of Melatonin before bedtime can facilitate sleep when it is hard to come. As suggested by the Centre for Travel Medicine at the Amedeo di Savoia Hospital in Turin, “a dose of 2 mg taken the first night can anticipate the circadian rhythm by about three hours and reduce jet lag discomfort by 50%”. 

What do you recommend against jet lag for frequent travelers? 

Jet lag, not everyone knows, is the number one enemy for Formula 1 drivers. They cross continents and time zones in a very short time to participate in races. Therefore, they must adapt quickly to changes in the external conditions of the countries in which they land to avoid fatigue and insomnia, which could affect their performance on the track. 

Each of them has his strategy to deal with jet lag, which, as Carlos Sainz, driver of the Ferrari team, assured some time ago in an interview with GQ magazine: “when carefully planned, can be minimized. Just be disciplined, know the itinerary, and plan everything well in advance.  

There are also tricks, such as caffeine, sunglasses, light exposure, and Melatonin. If you schedule these things based on the place of your destination, you can adapt to the time zone as early as two days before arrival. I would say that with a little effort, anyone can do it”. 

And if someone with an average of 100 flights a year to his credit says it, we can believe it “with our eyes closed!”.