JET LAG

We have World Sleep Day – 16 March.

PLEASE READ OUR SUPERSONIC SLEEP ARTICLE BEFORE READING THIS ABOUT JET LAG.
https://simplelivingglobal.com/world-sleep-day/

Hello World

We have World Sleep Day again and we have presented plenty to consider on this much needed topic.

Next – How is the Jet Lag business going these days?

Are our sleep patterns and rhythms linked to Jet Lag?

Are we sorted on this subject that affects most of us?

Are we bothered or does our holiday mode take over?

Do we just cope and try not to think about it?
Do we hate it but simply do nothing about it?
Do we moan and at the same time, just accept it?
Do we find ways to get over it with our apps and solutions?

Are our best efforts really working when it comes to Jet Lag?

What if we could put an END to all this Jet Lag stuff?
What if there is another way?

Are we ready to buckle up and make this presentation coming up a must read, well before the next flight?

Are we ready to make lifestyle changes that support us before, during and post flight?

Are we ready to do what it takes to knock out our ill choices and lock in what can support our body to deal with anything to do with Jet Lag?

Can we agree – whether we are coach class regular holiday travellers or the business top class having ‘all the extras’ seat – we all seem to have Jet Lag?

We are quick to blame time zones, too much alcohol before and during flight, plus long airport queues because of the extra security checks.

But what if our exhaustion, which underlies everything is simply not addressed and then with the flight and crazy time changes, we just get to feel the depth of that exhaustion more so than ever?

WHAT IF JET LAG IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO OUR SLEEP QUALITY?

What if our down time in the sun relaxing and chilling out just gives us the real signs of how exhausted we really are?

What if most of us have no idea about our internal clock and what is needed to have maximum vitality levels every single day?

What if we see flight time as a pain in the butt, as we cannot do much moving around and we are stuck in a tiny space being fed and offered drinks with a tiny screen to keep us entertained as we clock watch?

What if our lemonade budget means a champagne seat in the upper class is not on our radar this lifetime but we can’t stop wanting it?

What if those in the posh seats still suffer from Jet Lag, no matter how much money they pay for their flat-bed type seating?

What if any class seat on any type of flight is not going to change the fact we suffer with Jet Lag?

What if we need to look at how we are living in daily life and the choices we are making that are contributing to Jet Lag?

What if there are people out there, like the author of this blog who have zero Jet Lag, regardless of the distance of the flight?

What if there is another way to nail this, but it does require that word RESPONSIBILITY in the choices we make in everyday life?

Jet Lag – also called Time Zone Change Syndrome.

A sleep disorder that affects the body’s ability to determine when it is time to sleep and when it is time to stay awake.

Jet Lag now treated as a medical condition.
Affects millions of people every year. (1)

Jet Lag occurs when we travel quickly across multiple time zones.

Disruption of body’s internal clock – circadian rhythm.
Disturbs our body’s sleep wake natural cycle.

Body’s internal clock is out of sync with local time.
Can remain on original biological schedule for several days.
Direction of travel can affect length of Jet Lag.
Direction of travel can affect which symptoms are experienced.
Travel west experience morning awakenings.
Travel east difficulty falling asleep lasting for longer period.

Severity Jet Lag related to number of time zones crossed.

Symptoms associated with Jet Lag include –

Daytime fatigue
Difficulty staying alert
Gastrointestinal problems
General sickly feeling
Unwell feeling (1)

HELLO

Are we ALL just going to accept that this is the way it is because we have read it and these guys are the experts, so they must be right and have all the answers?

Are we going to at least stop and question this as it may not all be true or relevant to us?

Have they omitted something big which most of us suffer with – EXHAUSTION?

Can we admit that we got on the flight with our Exhaustion nicely tucked away with lots of snacks, airport delights from the plethora of eating places at the terminal and our alcoholic beverages, to get us into the spirit of the flying experience?

Could it be possible that the majority of our world suffer from Exhaustion at varying levels and so it becomes a ‘blind spot’?

In other words we cannot write about something or make claims and statements if we have something going on inside us that is unaddressed and in this case we are talking about Exhaustion?

Could it be possible we had ‘daytime fatigue’ everyday leading up to the flight, but we dealt with it in our usual ways, so we could function and get through?

Could it be possible our daytime fatigue has been there a long time and a real word for it could be that we actually have unaddressed EXHAUSTION but we have never admitted that?

Could it be possible the general sickly feeling and feeling unwell are both a direct result of our choices that we keep making day in and day out?

In other words, we know early nights and sensible eating would make a difference, yet we keep choosing the boozy late nights, Internet shopping, Social Media connection, TV or whatever we do to stop getting to bed early and to do that, we eat and drink everything our body does not want.

Could it be possible that our difficulty staying alert was there from day dot but it never got addressed because we had our daily caffeine fix?

Could it be possible our gastro problems are highlighted even more, because we go into excess mode as we forget real life when we are in flying mode?

Could it be possible that we eat food that we would not normally eat because of the boredom we experience on flights?

Could it be possible that our body actually needs less munching time during a flight, as it simply cannot cope with all the extras that we choose to shove inside it?

Could it be possible all those snacks, ice cream and sweets they dish out during the flight upsets our stomach?

Could it be possible that the optional extra alcohol drinks before, during and after an in-flight meal are deeply disturbing to our body because alcohol is a poison?

Could it be possible that when we choose poison as our main liquid intake on a flight we are going to experience gastrointestinal problems?

Could it be possible that we started on the booze well before take-off and even arrival at the airport, as that’s how we chose to go into flying mode?

Could it be possible that our work is super stressy and we use the business class seat to indulge and forget what is coming the other end with more stress?

Could it be possible that we pay extra for our seat, as we want to experience a deeper indulgence of comfort and hope it will do the job for us?

Could it be possible that we never bother to prepare our body for a flight and hope we can wing it on the journey? – pun intended.

Could it be possible that there is a way – another way to live, so that our body is equipped to deal with any time zones and frequent flying with zero Jet Lag?

Epidemiology:  Jet Lag

An extremely common sleep disorder, affects millions of people every day, travelling for business and pleasure.

People suffering from sleep deprivation or insomnia likely experience Jet Lag at a higher degree of intensity. (2)

For us on the street who may not know that long word – Epidemiology is the branch of medicine which deals with the incidence, distribution and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health.

So it means these are the kingpins telling us, so we better pay attention here.
Let’s join the dots and use a dose of common sense.

How many of us – if we are being totally honest, could admit that we have sleep issues, could do with more sleep when we have to get up, rely on alarm clocks and/or have no real quality with our sleep?

So could it be possible that most of us, at varying levels fit into that big section called ‘sleep deprivation’?

So let us hypothesise here and say anyone with sleep issues and no consistent true sleep rhythm is going to experience Jet Lag at a higher degree and intensity.

In other words, if we are living daily life making choices that do not support our natural sleep and wake cycle, then we can expect adverse intense reactions from our body during flights, which we accept and call Jet Lag.

Is this making sense?

Circadian Desynchrony – another name for Jet Lag. (3)

The body’s internal circadian clock is unable to adapt rapidly to the swift change in local time cues (for example sunrise, sunset, light and dark) after a flight across several time zones.

Our ability to sleep, stay alert, perform different tasks and digest our food is best when the internal clock is correctly aligned with local time.

For example, sleep is best taken when the internal clock is in ‘night mode’. It is thought that our inability to rapidly adapt to new time zones may be linked to the hormone Melatonin, which is released in high levels during the night when we sleep and lower levels during the day.

Circadian Desynchrony is a temporary form of circadian rhythm disorder and as such, any persistent sleep problems may be diagnosed in the same way as this disorder. (3)

Symptoms of Jet Lag

Disorientation
Fatigue
Headaches
Insomnia
Irritability
Loss of Appetite
Mild Depression
Nausea

Disorientation is also contributed to by the travel to exotic locations with various customs, foods, air quality, smells and is otherwise known as a ‘culture shock’. (4)

Jet Lag can be associated with Bloating, Constipation and Diarrhoea. (5)

What is the World Health Organization telling us about Jet Lag?

Jet Lag is the term used for the symptoms caused by the disruption of the body’s “internal clock” and the approximate 24 hour (circadian) rhythms it controls.

Disruption occurs when crossing multiple time zones, i.e. when flying east to west or west to east.

Jet Lag may lead to

Daytime sleepiness
Difficulty in sleeping at night
Disturbance of bowel function
General malaise
Indigestion
Reduced physical and mental performance
Tiredness caused by journey itself

Jet Lag symptoms gradually wear off as the body adapts to the new time zone.

Jet Lag cannot be prevented but there are general measures of reducing its effects –

Be well rested before departure.

Use any opportunity to rest during medium to long-haul flights.

Short naps (less than 40mins) can be helpful.

Eat light meals.

Limit consumption of Alcohol.
Alcohol increases urine output, with the result that sleep may be disturbed by the need to urinate.

While it can accelerate the onset of sleep, alcohol impairs the quality of sleep, making it less restful.
The after-effects of excessive consumption of alcohol can exacerbate the effects of Jet Lag and travel fatigue. Alcohol should therefore be consumed in moderation, if at all, before and during the flight.
World Health Organization (6)

What Happens to our Body when we Drink Alcohol on the Plane?

During a flight, the barometric pressure in the cabin of a plane is lower than it is in most places on earth. You can compare it with an altitude in the mountains of between 1,800 and 2,200 metres.

This decreased pressure environment diminishes the body’s ability to absorb oxygen and it can produce light-headedness. We call this Hypoxia.

Generally speaking, this is not an issue but the feeling could be similar to the experience we have after drinking alcohol.

Therefore, if we drink alcohol during a flight, we may notice it sooner if we drink too much.

Due to the lower level of oxygen in the blood, we may seem more drunk in the air, than we would on the ground, after consuming the same amount of alcohol.

In fact, our BAC – blood alcohol content will show the same percentage as would be the case if we drank the same amount of alcohol on the ground under similar circumstances.

A complicating factor is that the air in an aircraft is very dry and coupled with the diuretic effect of drinking alcohol, we become dehydrated much faster than we would on the ground.

Minimise intake of salty food as this may have an adverse effect by making us more thirsty and encouraging drinking at a faster rate. (7)

The health benefits of drinking alcohol on a plane are non-existent. (8)

50% increase in number of passengers arrested for drunken behaviour on flights or at UK airports. (9)

WHY?

What is really going on?

Are we pretending or do we know that we are not the same once we drink alcohol?

Are we aware that Alcohol is a scientific proven poison which means it is not for human consumption?

Are we not bothered or think it is all just a laugh when it comes to drunk behaviour?

Are we ok if society keeps finding excuses to keep alcohol legal as it suits us?

Are we really ok with our kids picking up our alcohol behaviour habits?

Are our airports safe now, if there is such a big increase in the number of passengers being arrested for behaviour under the influence of alcohol?

Are we going to work this one out for ourselves or are we going to wait for more research – like we did for Tobacco, before we agree Alcohol is killing our body?

Back to World Health Organization –

Caffeine should be limited to normal amounts and avoided within 4-6 hours of an expected period of sleep.

If coffee is drunk during the daytime, small amounts every 2 hours or so are preferable to a single large cup.

Sleep – At destination, try to create the right conditions when preparing for sleep and get as much sleep in as normal in the 24 hour after arrival.

A minimum block of 4 hour sleep during the local night – known as “anchor sleep” – is thought to be necessary to allow the body’s internal clock to adapt to the new time zone.

If possible, make up the total sleep time by taking naps during the day in response to feelings of sleepiness. When taking a nap during the day, eyeshades and earplugs may help.

Exercise during the day may help to promote a good night’s sleep but avoid strenuous exercise within 2 hours of trying to sleep.

The cycle of light and dark is one of the most important factors in setting the body’s internal clock.

A well-timed exposure to daylight, preferably bright sunlight, at the destination will usually help adaptation. When flying west, exposure to daylight in the evening and avoidance in the morning (e.g. by using eye shades or dark glasses) may be helpful; flying east, exposure to light in the morning and avoidance in the evening are to be recommended.

Short-acting sleeping pills may be helpful. They should be used only in accordance with medical advice and should not normally be taken during the flight, as they may increase immobility and therefore the risk of developing DVT. (6)

DVT – Deep Vein Thrombosis is a blood clot that develops within a deep vein in the body – usually in the leg.

Symptoms of DVT

Pain, swelling and tenderness usually in calf.
Heavy ache in the affected area.
Warm skin in the area of the clot.
Red skin – back of leg under knee.

Usually affects one leg.
Pain may worsen if foot bent upwards towards knee.

Pulmonary Embolism

1 in 10 people with DVT develop a Pulmonary Embolism.

A serious condition that causes Breathlessness, Chest Pain and Sudden Collapse.

Both DVT and Pulmonary Embolism require urgent investigation and treatment.

Being inactive for long periods –  such as a flight, after surgery or other long travel journey, without much movement, can cause DVT. (10)

Trying to adjust to local time for short trips of up to 2-3 days may not be the best coping strategy, because the body clock may not have an opportunity to synchronize to the new time zone and re-synchronization to the home time zone may be delayed after the return flight.

If in doubt, seek specialist travel medicine advice.

Individuals react in different ways to time zone changes.

Frequent flyers should learn how their own bodies respond and adopt habits accordingly.

Advice from a travel medicine clinic may help in formulating an effective coping strategy. (6)

So here we have the big kingpins in the World of Health telling us about Jet Lag.

Let us start with the list of what Jet Lag may lead to with a dose of common sense.

Could it be possible that because our body is going to be sitting around in un-natural conditions, it means we do not need to scoff food like it is our last meal, before or during the flight, but instead be sensible about what we eat?

Could it be possible that the indigestion may simply be a result of the food we munch, watching the screen in front of us, just to pass the time?

Could it be possible our bowels are not going to be in sync with changes in time zones, so best to keep them clear by not overeating or indulging in any foods that our body does not need?

Could it be possible that all the treats and sweet desserts are not necessary for our flight and just add to the clogging up in our bowels?

Could it be possible the ‘general malaise’ we feel comes from the ill choices we make before and during the flight, such as boozing as we are in travel mode, indulging in extra treats and ignoring how exhausted we are and so we just keep that screen going, as there are heaps of movies to watch?

Could it be possible that the ‘daytime sleepiness’ is a direct result of not preparing for the flight in anyway?

In other words, not having any early nights, not taking deep care of our body or planning our journey in a way that supports our body to the max?

Could it be possible that ‘difficulty in sleeping at night’ is because we always stay up late and then when we are on the jumbo jet we continue our ill habits of not going to sleep?

Could it be possible that when we feel tired during the flight, we opt for the extra glass of wine or spirit, or that ice cream which they pass around in between meals and snacks?

Could it be possible that our sleep is out of whack before we even get on the flight and then it just gets worse with all the travelling, time zone changes and flight back?

Could it be possible that our physical and mental performance is reduced because we have made the choice to veg out and chillax, with little movement and that means our mind and body is checked out?

In other words, we are not plugged in and connected to our body and our mind is doing what it wants and our body is copping the consequences of those choices, like drinking alcohol during a flight?

Hello – we are told that Jet Lag cannot be prevented.
So do we just accept that statement as the bigwigs of World Health tell us? 

What if we can make choices to our way of living that can end Jet Lag?

Next – we are told to limit our alcohol consumption.

What does that mean exactly?
Do we set different limits to suit us?

Can we be making sensible decisions for what is good for us and what is not, under the influence of a scientific proven poison that we call alcohol?

Can we be honest enough to admit that alcohol alters our natural state and that means NO amount of alcohol is helping us in anyway?

We are told that alcohol impairs the quality of our sleep and also that it should be consumed in moderation, if at all before and during flight.

Is this making any sense?

WHY are there no clear guidelines and why is this all a bit flaky?

Are those who write this stuff ‘drinking alcohol in moderation’?

Is it possible to limit our drink with one glass, on a long haul flight, bored to kingdom come, with no connection to purpose and no real Commitment to Life?

Is it possible to ignore the rules and get ready for our duty-free booze in our bag?

Why do we need excess drink to forget the time zones and get through our inflight boredom, just because we are in holiday mode?

Are we really going to Google and check websites giving us sensible guidelines about Jet Lag?

Are we going to take it that everyone suffers with this stuff, so we may as well get used to it?

The American Sleep Association have a chart with the Leonardo Da Vinci Universal Man in the middle – check it out on this link
https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/jet-lag/

The bit that sticks out is 9pm when Melatonin secretion starts.
This 9pm going to bed business is mentioned in our sleep blog and the value and importance of how this can support our body.

Circadian rhythms are generated within the hypothalamus.

The circadian “clock” resides within the hypothalamus in an area known as the SCN – suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Using the daily cycle of light and dark, the SCN creates and maintains a daily cycle.

Certain hormones are released at specific times of the day.

In the late afternoon and early evening, hormones are released that prepare the body for sleep. During the early hours of the morning, the body starts to prepare for waking and activity.

Information regarding light levels is passed from the SCN on to the pineal gland.

The pineal gland, deep in the centre of the brain responds and releases Melatonin at night.

Conversely, the release of Melatonin is suppressed during daylight.

Even when our human body is kept away from ALL external light sources and time references, the body maintains a near perfect rhythm, typically relaxing into a natural rhythm of 24 hours and 11 minutes. (11)

HELLO

PLEASE RE-READ THE ABOVE.

The fact that it makes no difference if our body has light, no light, clock, no clock –

OUR BODY JUST KNOWS AND MAINTAINS A NATURAL PERFECT RHYTHM.

Is this confirmation that our body has an Intelligence that us humans have not yet realised in full?

Is this the simple evidence we need to pay attention to, as it tells us we do not have to be affected by Jet Lag?

Back to Melatonin –

Melatonin supplements are available in some countries.
It is normally sold as a food supplement and therefore is not subject to the same strict control as medications (for example, it has not been approved for use as a medication in the United States but can be sold as a food supplement).

The timing and effective dosage of Melatonin have not been fully evaluated and its side-effects, particularly in the long-term use, are unknown.

Manufacturing methods are not standardized: the dose per tablet can vary considerably and some harmful compounds may be present.

For these reasons, Melatonin cannot be recommended. (6)

What if these supplements are not doing the job and are harmfull which is WHY it cannot be approved as a medication?

What if we do not need a false way to sort out our internal body clock because it knows its job and all we need to do is pay attention to our sleep and wake cycle and the melatonin will be released in its natural order and rhythm?

The American Sleep Association is saying –

The body will take one day per time zone crossed to fully recover and adjust to the changes.

This can vary, sometimes drastically, between individuals though, as some people can suffer severe, debilitating Jet Lag. (4)

Jet Lag can be further aggravated by other factors.

Many experience feelings of anxiety or nervousness when travelling and this can worsen Jet Lag.

Dry air in flight can be hard on those who are used to humid environments and may cause sore throat or headaches.

Maintaining proper hydration during travel is important, so drinking water is advised.

Drinking alcohol either just before or during a flight is not wise.

93% of all travellers will experience Jet Lag at some point. (4)

Older people suffer more than younger travellers. (3)

$470,000,000,000 – Global Jet Lag Therapy Market in 2016.

$730,000,000,000 – Estimate market will grow by 2023. (12)

So where is all this going?
WHY is this ‘therapy’ not cutting it?
WHY are we choosing to spend billions and billions of bucks on something that has not worked so far to end our Jet Lag agony and misery?

Can we just sit back and accept that this is how it is for every flight, or can we stop and ponder on the possibility – Is There Another Way?

What if this blog is saying something different because the author has lived what is being presented and so it is not Hot Talk but a Simple, Real and Honest expression that is worth considering?

More Business Travel – linked to Anxiety, Depression & Health Risks

New study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine finds that people who travel for business two weeks or more each month, report symptoms of Anxiety and Depression.

They are more likely to smoke, be sedentary, report trouble sleeping than those who travel one to six nights a month.

Among those who consume alcohol, extensive business travel is associated with symptoms of alcohol dependence.
Research from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and City University of New York (13)

Investigators found a link between poor behavioural and mental health outcomes and number of nights away from home.

This is one of the first studies to report the effects of business travel on non-infectious disease health risks.

503 million person-business trips in 2016. (13)

“Although business travel can be seen as a job benefit and can lead to occupational advancement, there is a growing literature showing that extensive business travel is associated with risk of chronic diseases associated with lifestyle factors.

The field of occupational travel medicine needs to expand beyond its current focus…to the behavioural and mental health consequences of business travel…

Employers and employees should consider new approaches to improve employee health during business trips that go beyond the typical travel health practice of providing immunizations and medical evacuation services.”
Andrew Rundle, Associate Professor of Epidemiology at Mailman School of Public Health. (13)

Earlier studies by Professor Rundle found a link between Extensive Business Travel and Obesity and High Blood Pressure. (14)

Dear Dear World

After reading this, it is clear that our sleep rhythm requires our utmost attention if we want to END Jet Lag symptoms.

We spend all this money and find ways to get through it, but in Truth most of us have not nailed it when it comes to Jet Lag.

This blog is presenting another way, but it does require lifestyle changes and some genuine deep regard for our precious body – way before the flight starts.

It then starts a foundation of Living in a way, that truly supports our body, day in and day out and does not allow our mind to override, run the show and ignore what our body is communicating.

Nothing seems to be working, so maybe this blog and this website are well worth considering now.

References

(1) (n.d). Jet Lag. National Association of Managed Care Physicians (NAMCP). Retrieved March 14, 2018 from http://www.namcp.org/sleepdisorders/practicingdocs/html/disorders/jetlag/jetlag.html

(2) (n.d). Epidemiology. National Association of Managed Care Physicians (NAMCP). Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
http://www.namcp.org/sleepdisorders/practicingdocs/html/disorders/jetlag/epidemiology.html

(3) (2016, December). Jet Lag. You and Your Hormones. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
http://www.yourhormones.info/endocrine-conditions/jet-lag/

(4) (n.d). Jet Lag. American Sleep Association (ASA). Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/jet-lag/

(5) (2017, August 10). Jet Lag. NHS Choices. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/jet-lag/

(6) (n.d). Jet Lag. World Health Organization. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
http://www.who.int/ith/mode_of_travel/jet_lag/en/

(7) Aaftink, D. (2017, June 30). What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Alcohol on a Plane? KLM. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
https://blog.klm.com/what-happens-to-your-body-when-you-drink-alcohol-on-a-plane/

(8) (2016, September 13). You Shouldn’t Drink Alcohol on a Plane. Condé Nast Traveler. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
https://www.cntraveler.com/story/you-shouldnt-drink-alcohol-on-a-plane

(9) Sharma, S. (2017, August 14). What Are the Rules for Drinking on Planes – and How Much Can You Have? Chronicle Live. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/north-east-news/alcohol-limit-flying-planes-rules-11287848

(10) (2016, April 27). Deep Vein Thrombosis. NHS Choices. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/deep-vein-thrombosis-dvt/

(11) Carter, A. (2017, October 1). Melatonin: What Does It Do? Medical News Today. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232138.php

(12) (n.d). Global Jet Lag Therapy Market Size in 2016 and a Forecast for 2023 (in million U.S. dollars). Statista. Retrieved March 15, 2018 from
https://www.statista.com/statistics/788019/jet-lag-therapy-market-value-worldwide/

(13) Nauert, R. (n.d). More Business Travel Tied to More Signs of Anxiety & Depression, Health Risks. Psych Central. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
https://psychcentral.com/news/2018/01/09/too-much-work-travel-increased-anxiety-sleephealth-problems/130993.html

(14) Martin, H. (2018, January 13). Too Much Business Travel Can Lead to Depression, Anxiety and Trouble Sleeping, Study Says. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 14, 2018 from
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-travel-briefcase-health-study-20180113-story.html

 

 

 

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Comments 16

  1. Yes, it is so easy to blame something on the outside for our problems in life.

    Is it possible that how we live on a daily basis is the main cause of all our aches and pains?

  2. This is truly a groundbreaking piece.

    Jet lag is an issue for so many people.

    I have talked to countless business people and others about jet lag and they all accept it as inevitable. They suffer and handle it in their own way.

    This blog is presenting another way.

    The possibility that jet lag is in fact tied to underlying exhaustion, caused by how we are living, is huge. It means jet lag is actually a tell sign of something else going on, rather than it being the problem itself.

    If we accept this as a possibility, it means the answer lies in lifestyle changes and not in popping a pill or dealing with jet lag when it arrives.

    It means listening to what the body needs and committing to that, before and after a flight, in an enduring way.

    There is much for us all to consider here.

  3. I hear lots of similarities in techniques for managing jet lag, from regular long distance travellers.

    Many swear by having a few alcoholic drinks on the plane so they can sleep. Or they pop a pill for the same reason.

    Melatonin or alcohol before bed is common, as is trying to stay awake as long as possible in order not to wake in the early hours on the old time zone.

    Coffee for the afternoon slump features strongly.

    As I am writing this, I can feel how much of an affront it all is to the body.

    If we asked the body what it needed, what would it say?

  4. Is Jet Lag just one of the ways our bodies are communicating to us that what we are doing is in disregard of our bodies?

    Is it possible that the problem is not even as much about what we are doing but how we have been living up to that point that does not support our bodies to handle what we are doing?

    Are all our complaints about what is wrong with the world, the result of our daily, individual choices?

    Is it our responsibility to live in a such away that takes into consideration all life on this planet?

    Is this how we can truly change the world?

  5. I never used to be able to sleep on planes.

    Looking back, it is because I was living in a racy, wired way.

    I have worked on this over the years and now I am steady in my every day, I have more settlement in my body and if I feel to sleep, I can do so with purpose and wake up refreshed.

    This is huge from a jet lag perspective, as it is not about what time it is in any particular part of the globe, but it is about what my body needs and how connected I am to that.

    If it is time to sleep, I sleep.

    So I am 100% with the wisdom in this blog that jet lag (or not) is about the choices we make every day, not just on travel days.

  6. This is an excellent article Simple Living Global, very different to anything that I have ever read about the subject of Jet Lag.

    What you have presented here I feel, is a great template for all of life, in that – could it be the way that we are living is the cause of any illness that we have?

    I haven’t travelled across time zones for many years but have been going to bed early for a number of years now and I notice whether I am at home or I am staying somewhere else, I do not have any difficulty adjusting, in fact nothing changes as I keep my rhythm and the way that I prepare for bed the same, regardless of where I am.

    Thank you once again for presenting to us that there is another way to live and that we have the power to make changes in our lives.

    This is a truly inspiring website and one that I am sure people from all walks of life are accessing as it speaks to everyone.

  7. This article talks about how Jet Lag can mess with a woman’s period.

    https://metro.co.uk/2016/05/31/important-heres-how-jet-lag-can-affect-your-period-5914550/

    The article’s accepts this as normal, but what if reading this very wise blog by Simple Living Global we start to question this fact?

    Is it really that flying on a plane messes with our body clock or is it true that when we are living in alignment with our body’s natural rhythms it knows when to bleed and when we are not living in that way things are thrown into disarray.

    I feel that this is something that we deeply need to consider as there are many things that we have accepted as ‘Jet Lag’ which may not necessarily be so if we looked after ourselves and lived to our body’s natural rhythm.

  8. The Guardian – 12 July 2018

    https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/jul/09/nightshifts-disrupt-rhythm-between-brain-and-gut

    A new study shows that our bodies have a master clock and several other clocks are associated with different organs. Late nights put these clocks out of synch.

    The findings highlight the dramatic impact that night shift work can have on the different clocks that govern the natural rhythms of organs and systems throughout the human body.

    This may explain why those with Jet Lag can suffer stomach pains and other gut problems.

    “One of the first symptoms people experience when travelling across time zones is gastrointestinal discomfort and that is because the gut is knocked out of sync from the central biological clock.”
    Hans Van Dongen – Director the Sleep and Performance Research Center at Washington State University.

    Whilst this news story talks more about night shift work disrupting sleep, we can take note of what has been said above about Jet Lag.
    ADD the fact that our internal body clock is off and the lifestyle choices we tend to make when going on a flight – before, during and after.

    The airlines supply to our needs and if most of us settled down and took advantage of long haul flights to rest as best we can and get some shut eye time, we may just end up sleeping and feeling more re-generated at the end. But instead we watch movies on the loop, eat foods we may never normally go to and get the munchies with the anticipation and anxiety of having to sit in one seat for excessive hours and where we are going etc., etc.,

    ADD to that the alcohol that we tend to consume and forget the effects are different when we are in a compressed aeroplane cabin.

    In the meantime, our body is not able to switch to our un-natural movements and then we end up feeling not ourselves because of the lack of rest and sleep, the overtime on the screen and eating like we are not going to get another meal again. On that note, could this strange eating behaviour have something to do with the ‘gastrointestinal dis-comfort’ mentioned above?

    Everything is everything and nothing is to be negated when it comes to our human health and wellbeing. Our body knows what it needs and what it does not. Our job is to pay close attention and learn from our uncaring and unloving ways that do not support our body, that happens to be with us until our last breath.

  9. Independent – 16 August 2018

    https://www.independent.co.uk/extras/lifestyle/jet-lag-how-to-avoid-tips-guide-body-clock-sleep-timezones-a8494016.html

    80% struggle severe fatigue after a long haul flight according to new study

    44% unable to sleep, the night after returning from a different time zone

    40% say jet lag leaves them totally unproductive

    25% fallen asleep somewhere unusual due to fatigue from jet lag

    16% say jet lag was so bad they had to phone in sick for work

    Others struggle to concentrate when returning to work and some suffer with anxiety, constipation, irritability and debilitating headaches.

    Methods to avoid jet lag include drinking lots of water, avoiding caffeine and sleeping on the plane as much as possible.

    As this blog states and this news story confirms – the main symptoms of jet lag include fatigue | insomnia | digestive problems | appetite changes | concentration | memory problems.

    So we are told there is no cure to jet lag and keeping our watch set to the time back home and staying awake until pre-travel bedtime can regulate our body clock.

    This study, which involved 2,000 adults could be seen by some as biased as it was carried out by the industry body that supplies cherries.

    Studies have shown that cherries can help prevent jet lag because they are one of the only natural sources of melatonin.

    Whatever our take is on this topic of jet lag, it would be wise to consider the questions presented in this blog.

    Talking from lived experience and doing long haul flights with zero jet lag at either end, I know what works and what does not work.

    Some of the list mentioned at the end of this story, which to me is common sense, is a no brainer. For example – no alcohol during the flight or when you get home.
    No caffeine and drinking more water during and after the flight also makes sense.

    What I do not agree with is Forcing myself to stay active after the flight by arranging parties and social occasions.

    Some may read the headline of this story which says ‘how to avoid jet lag before, during and after a flight’ and zone in on that one line and see it as a licence to socialize and party post flight.

    To me that would be the most harmfull thing to do, as it really would require a ‘force’ to keep us awake from our body’s natural rhythm, which is telling us sleep needs to be top priority.

    Back to lived experience – our body needs to prepare for flights and travelling.
    Expecting or demanding it to just respond is not taking the responsibility that we could when it comes to taking care of ourselves.

    I prepare in advance with early bedtimes and more exercise – be it walking or swimming, so the body is stronger and fitter for long travel, as it is not just the flight but the endless hours before and after, when we finally reach our place of rest.

    What we eat can also have an impact and how much we eat before, during and post flight. Airport food and flight foods may not be the most supportive for our body.

    I have not mastered my relationship with food yet but I am sensible and not stupid especially during flight travel.

    Then the big one is – what on earth we do we actually do during the flight itself?
    I make sure I have work in hand and a variety of other things like reading wisdom or something of interest. I never travel without my fluffy bed socks, eye pillow and eye mask plus a soft fluffy blanket – all this helps to support me to sleep even in a tiny space.

    Next –
    Is there any purpose or do we check out with the headphones on and watch movie after movie and tank up with alcohol to keep awake.

    Do we bring books and magazines to help us pass the time away.
    Do we start drinking the duty free booze hoping no one is watching.
    Do we sit there in holiday mode freezing, as the aircon is way too much inside the plane.
    Do we fill up with lots of coffee and chocolate as we know that stimulates and keeps us awake.
    Do we have a jam packed agenda as soon as we land, so there is no real time for deep rest and sleep.

    Everything matters and how we live on a daily basis either supports us during long haul flights or it does not.

    The question we need to ask is if jet lag affects us so much, then is it time for change and if not, we can expect more of the misery and agony that goes hand in hand with jet lag and travelling.

  10. If we read this blog and all the questions that are being presented – can we join the dots?

    Could it be possible that preparing a body for a long-haul flight is super important and it cannot be done last minute?

    In other words, we need to plan and take extra care of our body with early nights consistently, reviewing our food choices, up the exercise as all this works.

    I am talking from lived experience, because I had zero jet lag after travelling for 20 hours and was up in local time (8 hours behind my home local time) and ready to work next day.

    I went to bed in a new country and totally forgot about what time it was back home.

    Next – What I know would never work is using alcohol at any point.

    I was observing how much is offered in flight, literally in the first 2 hours.
    Thereafter many were buying drinks consistently.

    Food – this was an afternoon flight and I could not believe how much food was coming.
    Dinner followed by snacks and more snacks. Then when some were having a nap, an ice cream was given. Then another meal and countless drinks.

    Who creates the menus?

    Are we the ones who demand all this and so the airlines supply as they want the business and they have shareholders who want the dividends?

    It seemed like most people were bored, even with a huge range of movies on their screen, as they can barely move, so munching away somehow passes the time or is it something else?

    I got talking to so many and had some great conversations.

    Everyone I spoke to was taking a ‘longer holiday’ as the normal one or two weeks is not enough.
    These were car hire and road trips for days. Most were taking a month off work and felt they deserved the break.

    My question was have they prepared their bodies for long distance driving, which is way beyond what they are used to and ADD the jet lag they all seem to go on about?

    Jet Lag is not something we need to put up with, accept that it just is, or dread every time we book a flight.

    Jet Lag comes from our lack of understanding, that the intelligence of our body knows how to travel and we need to plug in and connect to KNOW exactly what our body requires and needs for optimum vitality, before during and after a flight.

    I am living proof that we do not need to ever suffer from Jet Lag.
    That means I am the living science, as we all are and this anecdotal evidence is speaking volumes.

  11. https://www.statista.com/statistics/788019/jet-lag-therapy-market-value-worldwide/

    $470,000,000,000
    Global Jet Lag therapy market size in 2016

    $730,000,000,000
    market estimate growth size in 2023

    Looking at the above figures and knowing we are in 2018 – it would be fair to say that we have a global market today for jet lag therapies that is over $500 Billion U.S. dollars.

    Can we stop and pause and consider what this actually is spelling out to us?

    How on earth have we got to a point where billions and billions are being spent on therapies to combat our jet lag?

    Could we be honest enough to say SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT because it is clearly not working if we already have estimates telling us growth predictions of this gigantic industry?

    What if we used our common sense and asked WHY do we suffer from jet lag?

    We all know it has a direct link to our sleep.

    What if we read the forensic blog on this website about Sleep and all the other sleep related blogs?
    https://simplelivingglobal.com/world-sleep-day/
    https://simplelivingglobal.com/9-oclock-hoover/
    https://simplelivingglobal.com/waking-up/
    https://simplelivingglobal.com/alarm-clocks/

    What if we answered the questions in this blog on Jet Lag and then ponder on what the author is presenting, as they do not suffer with any jet lag regardless of flights and the distance?

    What we do know is that our desire to fly is not going away and yet we seem totally unequipped to deal with this debilitating inconvenience when we go on flights.

    Could the way we live in daily life tell us something about why we get jet lag in the first place?

    Could our sleep quality give us an indication if we are to end up with the dreaded jet lag stuff?

    Are these statistics simply confirming to us that we want solutions and there is an industry supplying our demands because we are not asking to really nail it and find out what we could do and not do to ensure we no longer have jet lag on our radar?

    Our world is geared to find solutions to whatever we demand.

    We cannot blame an industry when it only exists because we the consumer want them to supply something that will do the job, without us having to look deeper and question what is going on for us that wants the therapies to deal with our jet lag.

  12. What you present here, Simple Living Global, is very interesting.

    Like most people, I just assumed that jetlag was a by-product of travelling to different time zones and something that we couldn’t avoid, but what you present here clearly puts the onus on ourselves to be more prepared and take more responsibility for how we live on a day-to-day basis.

    I had never considered the cost of all the associated therapies that jetlag brings but to read that, by 2023, the market for these therapies will reach $730,000,000,000 is incredible especially, as you say, it is within ourselves to reduce the effects of jetlag.

    I am sure that everyone who has crossed different time zones has had all or some of those unpleasant symptoms, so knowing that they could be avoided by making simple lifestyle changes is a game changer.

  13. Post
    Author

    Having a chat with a woman off to a wedding in a tropical paradise and the dread is the jet lag as she has sleep problems.
    We got talking and I shared that I do not suffer with jet lag.
    In the past, I travelled to Australia which is door to door around 34 hours and I had no jet lag. Sounds hard to believe but the following year, I went back and it was the same.
    Since then I have continued to do long haul flights and not get caught up in what others say about Jet Lag.

    I offered her some simple tips and mentioned how we need to take Responsibility when we choose to fly and make that no different to preparing our body for surgery.
    Our focus needs to change and we can make small steps consistently that would support us to adjust to local time wherever our flight takes us.

    I mentioned that alcohol was off my radar and sleep was a priority and the time I go to bed is super important.

    She said I looked very young for my age and she saw me swimming and thought I was fit.
    I shared the science of sleep and mentioned the blog on this website.
    We talked about taking naps and she loves them but everyone tells her its not good so she fights sleeping in the day on her day off.

    I suggested that in future she listens to those she can feel are walking the talk.
    No point listening to someone saying what they want you to hear but not actually living those words – in other words, not walking the steps in the vibration and quality they are asking you to be in.

    Back to Jet Lag – I talked about how I prepare my body before a long haul flight in advanced by upping the exercise and eating sensibly and making sure there is plenty of sleep and water going on.

    On the actual flight, I do not use the time to check out with the tiny screen in front just because it has the latest movies. Neither do I ever bug the air staff to get me alcohol or sugary drinks. Instead I carry extra water, some reading that has purpose and is not something that is going to check me out and food that I feel would support me as I know its a long journey.
    I always have extra nourishing face and hand cream as that is essential with the drying effects on a long flight.
    Finally, I never travel without my eye mask from Featherlight – an organisation that lives the integrity I know I am living and that to me makes sense.

  14. Observing what happens to the majority of us before and during a flight may well be worth a research study.

    If we read this blog, written by a woman who never suffers any jet lag and yet does long haul flights, it would be wise to consider the following:

    Do any of us actually prepare for a flight journey and in particular when it is not the next door country, which means not a 2 hour flight?

    We seem to now have even more busy airports confirming that flying has become the norm for the masses with cheap deals and our non-stop need to get out there into the world for whatever reason, but the main one being to get away.

    Back to Jet Lag – it would be true to say that most are suffering and we have a habit of going to solutions, but never once do we stop long enough to consider if we can change this by looking at our own lifestyle choices.

    Example – if we know we are off abroad and it’s going to be a coach class seat with food to match that quality – how do we prepare?

    We now demand an “experience” above most things and so the travel is part of the holiday or trip overseas.

    On a long-haul flight today early morning. we have champagne and other alcohol being served in restaurants and bars at the airport terminal.

    Do we drink at 9am if we were at home at this time?

    What changes in the Responsibility Department when we have a suitcase packed and we are away from our work?

    Is it a licence to relax and chill out as we know alcohol gives us that feeling – a sort of checking out, let’s forget about the daily grind, the commute, the job and everything else we hate about our life?

    Next – has anyone clocked the huge terminal shopping malls?

    Do we really get hooked into all the so-called tax free, duty free goods OR are we the ones demanding this type of “experience” before our flight?

    It’s huge business and all the designer outlets are there waiting alongside every perfume and beauty brands that are well known.

    ADD to that the alcohol literally on tap, with oversized bottles of the vintage whisky or anything else we want.

    To really feel the upmarket shopping experience I noticed black sparkling tile floors, with the diamond effect sparkling because the lighting was engineered to do that.

    Could be high end granite but whatever it is, we want the “WOW” factor and the suppliers are there ready to deliver.

    As a Citizen Journalist, I am always observing and registering what is going on out there in the world because this microcosm today is reflective of the behaviour of our whole world.

    On the flight – most are wired up soon as they sit to the screen. Youth are on their mobile phones and before you know it, take off over, seat belt signs off and drinks trolley coming.

    The red wine is not your average size – FACT.

    It would be true to say it was 2 huge glasses and of course there is more, just ask or even more if you pay – then it seems there is no limit.

    Some of us may be aware that high up here in the clouds alcohol has a quick accelerated affect but hey ho we are in flight mode, so we just take what is being offered.

    Water – which is highly recommended by anyone who knows the effects on our body is not on the radar.

    Important note – this is 11am and its a 11 + hour flight.

    So how would what has been shared thus far have anything to do with Jet Lag?

    The reader would benefit by reading our forensic blog on this website – The Real Truth about Alcohol, then go to the comments posted to get a real insight about this scientific proven poison, that suits us to have as a legal beverage.

    https://simplelivingglobal.com/the-real-truth-about-alcohol/

    Yes you heard correctly – we have made it legal to ingest a poison that harms the human mind and body.

    It is well known that alcohol affects our natural state of being, but it seems we ignore that fact as it suits us.

    Jet Lag is linked to our sleep and if we join the dots so far – why would we mess with our sleep when we all know how we feel with lack of sleep, insomnia or mood swings and the list goes on…?

    Our inflight experience seems to have grabbed us and once upon a time I was part of that but not anymore, because the benefits of being sensible and taking Responsibility pay off.

    I can get off a long-haul flight and wind down regardless of time zone and be ready the next day early as needed and work like if I had not travelled.

    To do this consistently, I have prepared my body and one thing is up the exercise. No running or weight lifting needed but common sense exercise daily or as often as possible.

    The other thing is getting used to drinking water only as that then continues inflight because we were in that mode beforehand.

    On a final note – we have a serious epidemic called Jet Lag and the sleep solutions industry is working hard at finding us more and more solutions, but we know they don’t work.

    WHY?
    Because Jet Lag has got worse.

    Things can only change when we are ready to make the move to consider ALL that this blog and this comment are presenting.

    If we want the lifestyle choices and then suffer the consequences, then we know we cannot blame the airline, the alcohol or the bad choice of movies inflight because we made the moves to not take care of our body, which then communicates by giving us the message we call Jet Lag.

    Does this make sense?

  15. Statista.com – 22 October 2020
    https://www.statista.com/statistics/788019/jet-lag-therapy-market-value-worldwide/

    The total global market for Jet Lag therapies in 2016 was valued at $470 Billion US dollars.

    It is estimated that this will grow to over $730 BILLION by 2023.

    Dear World

    We have a 911.

    TIME TO WAKE UP.

    How on earth have we, as a supposedly intelligent species got to this staggering figure when it comes to getting our sleep state on track?

    Jet Lag therapy is clearly not working and we need to wake up that there could possibly be another way. Instead of demanding that we find solutions and fix the problem, very few of us are asking some serious questions that may just get us to the bottom of this. In other words, the root cause.

    This blog is worth a few reads and then some more. Much is being presented that cannot be negated when we have billions going into putting our Jet Lag right but it is not working.

    We have associated travel with a licence to do what we want, eat what we want, consume as much alcohol as we want, stay up all night and flick the aeroplane channels and fight our natural state, which is sleep when our body wants it. The thing is most of us are choosing to live in a dis-connected way and this does not allow for real communication with our body to be followed through. Instead we over-ride any common sense or feeling we have that may just support our body and go off in ‘holiday or flying mode’ and expect the destination where we land to sort us out without putting any commitment into taking care of ourselves.

    Billions and billions offered as a solution and none giving us the real and utter Truth.
    Solutions cannot and will not get to the root cause of the problem, that is not their job so we don’t blame or finger point. We, the consumer, the customer, the punter have to be ready and willing to say ‘This is not working, let’s seek another way, as surely we cannot continue travelling if Jet Lag has become such a big issue’. But we don’t – we never stop to question if a solution is not working. We go to the next solution and then the next and so it will come as no surprise that soon the Jet Lag Therapy industry will reach around $730 BILLION US dollars.

    What we forget Dear World is that this is a 911 Emergency.

  16. What is it about us humans that call ourselves intelligent when we really don’t use the common sense road available at all times?

    You are exhausted, you eat copious amounts of the wrong types of foods and consume soda and caffeine like there is going to be a ration. Then you don’t prepare or change anything and wonder why you feel even worse after a flight and blame this thing called jet lag without questioning anything or making any changes.

    This conversation about jet lag is something I often come across and of course no one buys it that I don’t suffer or have this jet lag thing going on. Yes I do global travel and No I do not get into that holiday mode or switch off as if I have a licence to behave irresponsibly because I am boarding a flight that will take me away from everyday life. Absolutely No.

    In fact, I prepare my body for the flight as soon as I know I am off somewhere – no different to how I support others to prepare for having surgery, regardless of how big or small it may be.

    We seem to think that there are some quick fix remedies – solutions to our ill behaviour that will solve the mystery for example around jet lag and of course it does not and this is why we have a huge multi million industry to support us with jet lag. Has it worked? Of course, not as we are still suffering with it.

    How about we knock the whole thing upside down and start again with a simple way that is not the norm or what most of us want to hear, as that would mean changes and taking Responsibility.

    I am a 60 year old woman and everyone that knows me or meets me always say I don’t look it and I certainly don’t feel old. Age does not come into the jet lag but consuming caffeine, alcohol and copious amounts of sugar does and add to that other stimulants including scrolling social media and any screen time when the body is asking “Can we just go to sleep?” but instead we join the bandwagon of in-flight entertainment and order more alcohol, munch through more of anything we are given or what we have in our luggage and settle for movie after movie with zero sleep.

    What I have come to realise is nothing out there seems to be working when it comes to our problems. So if we take a look at jet lag. We are yet to get the answer.

    So why not listen to someone that seems to know what they are talking about because they actually live it so it is in their body. Does this make sense Dear World?

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