Scientists tell us that jet lag is, basically, what happens with your body’s biological clock falls out of sync with the “correct time.” You have a “master clock” in your brain called the suprachiasmatic nucleus. That nucleus controls the body’s circadian rhythm by responding to external signals — most notably, sunlight
The response syncs the body’s internal timing with that of the environment.
When and where you travel can affect how well your body responds to these disruptions. Some of the disruptions may not affect you much but others — especially those that come from traveling through numerous time zones — can significantly interfere with your online casino activities as well as in other aspects of your day-to-day life.
About Jet Lag
Some interesting facts about jet lag include
It’s harder to adjust when you fly east
- It’s easier to recover from jet lag faster when you travel west. According to researchers, the brain adjusts more easily to westward travel as compared with eastward travel. Cells that control the body’s clock operate on a slightly longer day so it’s easier to travel west across time zones because in that case, you’re traveling in a direction that extends the length of the day.
- There’s a phenomena called “social jet lag” that occurs when a person has a different schedule on weekends than they have during the week. For instance, if someone works nights and then tries to adjust their body clock to conventional awake hours on the weekend, they may suffer from “social jet lag” This often results in problems with metabolism and may cause sleep disturbances and weight gain.
- Jet lag can be exacerbated by eating patterns. When you eat at night, for example, your blood sugar levels rise which may make it harder to maintain healthy sleep patterns. By shifting the time of day that you eat, you can shift the rhythm of your blood sugar levels which restores normal fluctuations to your nighttime sleep pattern.
Beating Jet Lag
Some travelers pop a sleeping pill before they get on the plane. They sleep throughout the trip and wake up refreshed. Others save their sleeping pills for the landing and use the pills to re-regulate their sleep pattern.
If you don’t want to rely on medicines and chemicals, travel advisors offer other suggestions that can help you beat jet lag. Some of the best include
Hydration
Stay hydrated throughout the trip. It’s not unusual for people to drink less when they’re on the plane or to drink too many caffeinated drinks. It’s important to start drinking before you even step onto the airplane and stay fully hydrated throughout the trip. You might want to try drinking hot water with lemon – there are oils in lemons that allow for relaxation which can help you sleep naturally on the flight and wake up refreshed.
In addition, travelers who are concerned about staying hydrated may want to consider IV treatments, such as Riverside IV, or any other nearby location. These treatments provide a direct infusion of essential fluids and nutrients, ensuring you’re at your best during and after your journey. Remember, maintaining proper hydration is key to feeling your best and enjoying a comfortable travel experience.
Don’t forget that once you land, you want to do things that increase the quality of your sleep later on in the night. That means that you should lay off caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol — substances can increase the number of awakenings which then decreases the quality of later sleep.
Sleep
Other tips that may help you rebalance your sleep patterns include trying to sleep in a cool room (ideal temperatures are between 60 and 75°F) and refrain from eating later in the day — eating raises your blood sugar level which then interrupts your sleep pattern.
It’s also important to limit the amount of time that you stare at a screen before bedtime. Sleep researchers have tracked the influence of blue-light emitting devices (such as computers, TVs and tablets). They conclude that exposure to blue-light before bedtime can cause you to experience interruptions in your sleep pattern.
You might also want to think about ways to include exercise in your evening routine. Exercise is the best thing you can do to get your body back on track so prepare a short routine to do before bedtime and then do it!
Anticipation
Start anticipating the expected change in time as soon as you get on the plane. This will help you to adjust your body clock in advance.
Some strategies to do this include
- reset your watch to the time of your destination when you get on the plane.
- Give yourself extra exposure to light in the morning and the evening, starting a few days before the flight
- Do some aerobic activity if you feel sleepy during the daylight hours when you arrive. The aerobics will help you stay awake as you oxygenize your brain neurons and release the serotonin hormone
Melatonin
Boost your melatonin intake. Melatonin is a hormone that’s secreted by the pineal gland. Melatonin levels rise with the onset of darkness and fall with light exposure. When you cross a time zone you are exposed to light during your normal bedtime. This disrupts the melatonin cycle and results in jet lag. The jet lag continues until your circadian rhythm gets back in sync with the new time zone.
Take a small dose — 0.5 milligrams — when you reach your travel destination, after dark. After one to three days your melatonin level should readjust itself.
Fasting
Since diet is important to regulating the body, fasting might help you balance your natural sleep patterns. Try to eat according to the times in your new time zone, not those of the old time zone. That means that, if you’re flying overnight, wait until morning and then eat breakfast at the time that the new time zone would normally be having breakfast.
Eat your last meal at the point of origin and then wait for the next meal at the time of the locale where you’ll be touching down. This will help you get onto the local time zone more quickly.
