How to Sleep: The New Science-Based Solutions for Sleeping Through the Night by Rafael Pelayo

Author:Rafael Pelayo [Pelayo, Rafael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: 1579659578
Publisher: Artisan
Published: 2020-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Jet Lag: Time-Shifting in a Modern World

Because the human circadian clock evolved to make gradual changes over the course of the year, it can’t handle abrupt switches in time zones. This is why we experience jet lag: Our inner clock becomes out of sync with the world around us, resulting in a sleep schedule that is notably disrupted. Other body rhythms, such as eating schedules, are also disturbed, and we often feel unwell, suffering from symptoms like irritability, malaise, and headaches.

As a general rule, your circadian clock takes about one day of adjustment per time zone traveled. So a traveler zipping through three time zones should expect to feel out of sorts for about three days. (If you are planning a trip that is fewer than three days, you will feel better if you simply stay on the schedule of your home time zone.) Luckily, for longer trips, there are proven strategies for correcting jet lag and minimizing the ill effects of abrupt time shifts:

• Expose yourself to as much light as possible soon after waking up the first morning in your new destination.

• Do some physical exercise in the afternoon to push away the surge in drowsiness.

• Stay hydrated and avoid alcohol. Staying hydrated is a good practice in low-humidity environments like that aboard planes. Alcohol makes changing time zones even harder, especially if you are already sleep deprived (see Alcohol Is a Double-Edged Sword for more on alcohol’s effect on sleep).

• If you’re traveling east, you are shortening your day and bedtime comes earlier than your biological clock is used to. Start adjusting to the expected new time zone by going to sleep early in the days before you begin the trip. Try not to nap during your flight so you’ll have an easier time falling asleep in your new time zone. Avoid bright light as much as possible when you land—you want your brain to anticipate the earlier nighttime. If you’re taking an overnight flight east and arriving at your destination in the early-morning hours, then you’ll maximize your exposure to light in the new time zone, helping you stay awake.

• If you’re traveling west, you are prolonging your day, so catching a brief nap on the flight can help you stay alert in your new time zone. It’s usually easier to adapt to traveling west than traveling east because staying up later is easier than going to bed early.

• If your trip is five days or fewer and you prefer to keep a schedule consistent with your home time zone: Our circadian tendency toward sleepiness hits us about two hours before our usual wake-up time. When you are approaching this point in your new time zone, take a nap to help keep you on a sleep schedule similar to the one you have at home.

• If jet lag is significantly hindering your ability to function, the short-term use of hypnotics or stimulants either alone or in combination can be helpful to adapt to a new schedule.

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