Frequent fliers — those who take to the sky either for business, pleasure, or a little of both -– may notice that the discomfort air travel can bring doesn’t always end when the plane reaches the tarmac. Lurking in the crevices of the overhead compartment or maybe on your tray table, it pops out the second you reach your destination. Leaving you tired, irritable, and generally feeling out of it, jet lag can ruin a plane ride quicker than the airline food.
Jet lag, in scientific terms, is the physiological condition that is caused when the circadian rhythm, or the 24-hour cycle, undergoes changes. Often blamed on airplane travel, jet lag can also be a result of working different shifts, daylight saving, or anytime a person’s light and dark cycle is disrupted.
When the blame of plane travel is warranted, it’s not the length of the flight that is the deciding factor; it is the distance traveled east to west. Flying north to south in the same meridian will never cause as much jet lag as going from coast to coast. In short, the likelihood of jet lag increases with the amount of time zones crossed. Crossing numerous time zones disrupts the body’s typical pattern, causing people to be ready for bed or for dinner during hours that don’t coincide with the actual time. Someone who travels from New York to California may find themselves ready to call it a night at seven p.m.
The impact of jet lag varies from person to person. Some people can recover from it relatively quickly while others might find themselves symptomatic for days. They may feel dehydrated with no appetite, susceptible to headaches and sinus problems, tired, irritable, unable to sleep, and dazed and confused.
Luckily for the person who flies, not to mention the people who have to pick them up from the airport, the moodiness and grogginess of jet lag is preventable, at least to a point. To begin, something as simple as taking a nap on the plane can be the first step in attempting to realign your body. If sleeping isn’t entirely possible, relaxing to the music of your i-Pod is the next best thing. Even this, with turbulence and the token three year-old kicking the back of your seat throughout the flight, might not be feasible. For this reason, other options must be explored.
Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
I just got back to the west coast from new zealand, and it's taking me many days to get over the jet lag. Flying there was not nearly as hard.