It is widely acknowledged that jet lag is worse when travelling east, but this has nothing to do with the direction of Earth's rotation. Like many creatures, humans have a circadian rhythm that follows a 24-hour period and is kept in sync by the eyes' response to natural light levels over the day.
People Also Ask
According to an August article in the New York Times, your body clock makes it more difficult to travel east. Steven W. Lockley, of NASA's fatigue management team, estimates that three-quarters of the population experience more jet lag when traveling eastward. The article also cites a study by neurologist Lawrence D.
Sleep Foundation notes that jet lag happens when we travel across three or more time zones. And, there's bad news for anyone traveling from the U.S. to Europe: jet lag is worse when you travel east than it is when you travel west.
Flying east or west makes a difference to jet lagYour circadian rhythm (body clock) is less confused if you travel westward. This is because travelling west 'prolongs' the body clock's experience of its normal day-night cycle (the normal tendency of the body clock in most of us is slightly longer than 24 hours).
A jet lag rule of thumb says it normally takes one day per time zone to get back to “normal” (flying west to east). That means, after a nine-hour time change on a flight from the US west coast to Germany, you'll need nine days before your body fully adjusts to Central European Time.
Common ways pilots avoid jetlag is staying hydrated, good rest, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, exercising, or sleeping on the airplane. For long-haul flights airlines use multiple pilots for the flight to allow each pilot to get some rest. The more time zones that are crossed, the worse the jet lag.
Adjust your sleep-wake schedule: Getting on the sleep-wake schedule at your destination quickly may help with jet lag symptoms. Focus on getting quality sleep: Sleeping on the plane, if you can, may help your body adjust faster to a new time zone.
Jet Lag FAQ: How long will it take me to adjust? It allegedly takes one day per hour of time difference for the body to get fully adjusted. So for a 6 hour time difference, it would take 6 days for the body to completely adjust.
And when you're looking at long journey, a sleepless flight can make overcoming jet lag that much harder. Yes, of course flying business class with a lie-flat bed is better when it comes to sleeping and adjusting time zones. Duh: This isn't some grand revelation.
You can use the fasting reset to get the circadian rhythm back on track. If you abstain from food while you travel and indulge in a filling meal the moment you land, you will supply the body with the necessary energy. Just like you would get from a regular morning meal. With fasting, jet lag symptoms can subside.
In addition to shift work, the two types of employees who work on aircraft, pilots (also known as flight deck or flight crew) and cabin crew (also commonly known as flight attendants), regularly experience jet lag.
Pilots, flight attendants and business travelers are most likely to experience jet lag. Being an older adult. Older adults may need more time to recover from jet lag.
If you have the choice, try to book a flight that leaves between 8 am and noon and arrives between 6 pm and 10 pm. According to this book, flights that leave late at night (10 pm-1 am) and arrive in the morning (8 am to noon) give a much bigger risk for jet lag.
Researchers have found that, on average, it takes people about one day to adjust for each 1 to 1.5 hours of time change. So if you fly from the East Coast to the West Coast, which is a three-hour time difference, you should be over your jet lag in two to three days.
Use the flight to rest and reset.With a few hours of sleep during the transatlantic flight, you'll be functional the day you land. When the pilot announces the European time, reset your mind along with your wristwatch. Don't prolong jet lag by reminding yourself what time it is back home. Be in Europe.
Jet lag is especially an issue for airline pilots, aircraft crew, and frequent travellers. Airlines have regulations aimed at combating pilot fatigue caused by jet lag. The term jet lag is used because before the arrival of passenger jet aircraft, it was uncommon to travel far and fast enough to cause desynchronosis.
You can use the fasting reset to get the circadian rhythm back on track. If you abstain from food while you travel and indulge in a filling meal the moment you land, you will supply the body with the necessary energy. Just like you would get from a regular morning meal. With fasting, jet lag symptoms can subside.
Some people withstand jet lag better than others — possibly because they may be more sensitive to light, they're simply better at falling asleep, or they're just more tolerant of discomfort.