Day flights, coffee and supplements: These are the best ways to deal with your jet lag

07.09.2024 - 12:47 / euronews.com

It's the scourge of travellers who fly long haul for business and pleasure alike, but jet lag is an inevitability for many.

Nobody wants to lose out because they're too tired to enjoy the delights of their holiday or lose out on productivity on a work trip.

But what can you do to prevent or minimise its worst effects on your body? Here are some tips on how to handle jet lag, wherever you travel.

Scientists define jet lag as the effect on the human body of traveling across different time zones.

Our bodies have biological clocks programmed into almost every cell in the body, according to Sofia Axelrod, who studies circadian rhythms at Rockefeller University in the US.

"The clock is set by the 24-hour light and dark pattern, Axelrod said. "Every morning when we wake up, specialised [light] receptor cells in our retina receive a daylight signal, which is transmitted to the brain and from there, the whole body".

When we travel to another time zone, our eyes receive the daylight signal at a different time than usual, causing our internal clocks to reset.

But that process can take a while - and it’s during that adjustment period that we feel the effects of jet lag.

Yes, but that can come at a cost.

Malcolm von Schantz, a professor who specialises in circadian rhythms at Northumbria University in the UK, said that flying in premium cabins where travelers can stretch out and properly rest, can ward off sleep deprivation, but he acknowledges that isn't an option for most people.

Still, he said that timing your flights can help. For example, he suggests flying from Europe to North America during the day, so that it’s evening when passengers land and they can get a proper night’s sleep.

"If you take the evening flight instead, you’ll be woken up at midnight to be served breakfast and land an hour or two later, when both jet lag and sleep deprivation will hit you hard and simultaneously," he said.

Von Schantz also said flying in newer models with a lighter frame, like the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 Dreamliner, would help.

That’s because those planes can maintain a more comfortable cabin atmosphere, which should help travelers feel less worn out by the end of their flights.

Experts say getting exposure to sunlight is critical to resetting your internal body clock. That can mean either avoiding morning sun or deliberately seeking it out, depending on where you’ve travelled from.

Getting light in the morning will advance your body clock, while light exposure in the early evening will delay it.

Naps are OK, but scientists warn against taking long siestas later in the day, as that might compromise your ability to sleep through the night.

Melatonin, a hormone that the brain naturally produces when the body thinks it’s night, can