Ever landed in a new time zone feeling like you only want to lie down on your soft bed again? Your brain says “SLEEP”, but the local clock screams “TIME for BRUNCH!”
Welcome to jet lag - your body’s hilarious rebellion against time travel. Read on to learn what’s going on and how to negotiate the peace inside your body!
What Exactly Is Jet Lag?
Let’s divide the phrase into “Jet” and “Lag”. “Jet” typically means jet airplanes, and “lag” refers to falling behind. So, it’s quite easy to understand why we call this special sleep disorder “Jet Lag”.
What causes jet lag for most travelers who fly far away from their home?
Well, since high-speed jet travel makes people switch their location across multiple time zones in a few hours, our body’s internal clock struggles to keep up with the rapid change. So, it says “I want to sleep more or less”.
It’s common for most of us, and sometimes it can spoil your mood! Read on to know what’s happening inside.
What Is Happening to Our Body When Jet Lag Occurs?
Imagine your body is an old clock that dislikes surprises. When you zoom across time zones, your internal clock goes like: “Wait - why is the sun here?!” See the breakdown below:
- Brain lost: Our brain uses light to sync with local time. If you land in London at noon but your brain thinks it’s 4 AM, the brain just feels wrong, and stays sleepy.
- Hormones panic: We have many hormone types as sleep, alarm clock, hunger, and mood manager hormones. Your functional hormones will freak out when you suddenly cross the time zones, just like when everyone shows up at the wrong time at a party.
- Betrayed stomach: This is about your digestive system, does it which is always running on a strict schedule. Your gut will be so confused that you might crave pancakes at midnight or just hate the food you usually love.
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How Long Does It Take for Jet Lag to Diminish?
Our body hates time jumps, but whether you’re flying east or west, the proper ways for recovery are easy to take. So, here are some tips for you when you hop on these two different travel orientations.
Eastbound - Flying toward the Sunrise
- Example: LA - Paris / NYC - Dubai
- Feelings: lose hours, brain fights to go to bed early
- Recovery Time: 1.5 days per time zone
Westbound - Flying to the Sunset
- Example: London - NYC / Tokyo - Hawaii
- Feelings: gain hours, a sleepover, prefer staying up late
- Recovery Time: 1 day per time zone
Is There Anything I Can Do to Avoid Jet Lag?
Flying Orientations | Before the Flight | During the Flight | After Landing | Example |
Eastbound Flights | - Go to bed 1 hour earlier each night - Soak up the morning sunshine
| - Eat at destination time - Wear blue-light blockers to prep for early sleep | - No caffeine after noon - Sunrise Walk might be your new friend | LA - Tokyo / NYC - Paris |
Westbound Flights | - Stay up 1 hour later each night - Get enough evening sunlight | - Use bright light - Skip alcohol, which messes with your sleep quality | - Eat dinner later - Exercise in the afternoon to boost energy for the post-lunch crash | London - NYC / Tokyo - Hawaii |
Fun Facts about Time Zones
Google the world time zone map before you go on a brand-new journey. To avoid time chaos, we sliced the planet into 24 time zones. They are not just associated with your jet lag but are closely connected to your daily life.
- If the whole world used a one-time zone, you’d see New Yorkers eat lunch at noon and Tokyo get their pizza at 2 AM.
- China is as wide as the U.S., but it only has one time zone. In western China, the sun rises late in the morning at 10 AM in winter. But locals just set their clocks to one time, which is Beijing Time.
- Since colonial islands are scattered worldwide, France rules 12 time zones from Tahiti to Paris.
- Nepal is 15 minutes extra to stand out from India and China.
- Your phone will update the time when flying across zones, but your hunger, pee schedule, and sleep rebel!
Other Facts that Might Affect Your Sleep
When traveling across time zones, several factors beyond jet lag can also disturb your sleep.
- Unfamiliar sleep environment
The quality of sleep depends a lot on your surroundings, such as the room temperature, the lights, different bedding, air quality, etc. They can hardly make you fall asleep!
- Physical strain from travel
The long flights leave you fatigued, making you unable to sleep well as you do at home.
- Digestive issues
Quick changes in diets may cause bloating or indigestion! Try to eat food with a light flavor.
- Anxiety or Excitement
Nervousness and excitement coming from your new trip may both easily keep you awake.
No More Worries about Being Jet-lagged!
So, talking back to jet lag, the fatigue, and the disorientation that you feel are as normal as most people do. Your body just needs days to adjust ~
Stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and increase daylight absorption, which all help you reset your internal clock efficiently. Beat your jet lag and enjoy your journey worldwide!
FAQs about Jet Lag
How long does jet lag usually last?
A day or two to recover for each time zone is enough! Things may be different from person to person. The farther you travel, the longer it will take for your recovery time.Why is jet lag so exhausting?
Yes it is. Your body is like an old clock. It hates time jumps and needs time to adjust. But it's common among most long-journey travellers and you don't need to worry much~What not to do for jet lag?
Try to avoid alcohol and caffeine drinks. Do not feel stressed when you need a nap. If you want to use medications, you'd better discuss it with your doctor. The use of melatonin can help people recover faster from fatigue.What if I can not sleep at all?
Take a deep breath and find a comfortable spot to lie down. Get the light down and put on your sleep masks and earphones. If it doesn't help, stay awake or do things that keep you relaxed until local bedtime.Is jet lag just tiredness?
You are not only feeling tiresome but also waking up early in the morning and staying awake during the day. Your brain may feel lost. Sometimes, you do not have an appetite to eat.