HEALTHNET

I am suffering from jet-lag. What should I do?

You should first try to re-establish sleeping patterns without resorting to pills...

(Posted on 23 November 2006)

Q1. I have been suffering from sleeplessness for three nights since my business trip. I am so tired but have to work in daytime. What should I do?

A1. Generally, the intensity of jet-lag symptoms varies in relation to the number of time zones crossed and the direction of travel. Very often they are more severe when traveling from the west to the east because the day is shortened.

You should first try to re-establish sleeping patterns without resorting to pills. Avoid taking caffeinated drinks or strong tea in the day time. Take a half day off and head towards the beach if you can. Many people find exercising under the sun refreshing, and can help them sleep better.

Jet-lag can provoke the onset of a chronic sleep problem if not properly taken care of. Never use alcohol to help you go to sleep. If there is no sign of getting any better after more than a few days, you should seek advice from your doctor. Doctor may prescribe a mild sedative or sleeping pill to help you to tie over the problem. If taken for less than a few days, there is little risk with habit forming. Those patients who would do nothing to change their lifestyle but rely solely on drugs are most vulnerable to drug habits. For most people, modern drugs are much safer than those in the past when used under supervision.

Melatonin is a hormone that plays a key role in body rhythms. Whether melatonin can help patients with jet-lag is still debated amongst doctors.

Q2. How would jet-lag affect my health?

A2. Our "biological clock" is situated in the part of the brain called the hypothalamus, which also regulates important body functions such as hunger, thirst, sleep, body temperature, blood pressure, and hormonal activities. Jet-lag could disturb the diurnal rhythmic pattern of these bodily functions.

Besides fatigue and insomnia, sleeplessness can be stressful, and affect our emotional health. People suffering from jet-lag are also more prone to traffic and work accidents. Jet-lag sufferers may experience anxiety, confusion, irritability, headache, dehydration, nausea, excessive sweating and coordination problems. They may also feel disoriented and have trouble with decision-making and short-term memory. Some individuals may report heartbeat irregularities and an increased susceptibility to illness.

Our digestive system works on a diurnal rhythm too. Problems such as constipation, diarrhea, excessive flatulence, abdominal pain, heartburn and peptic ulcer disease can be more common in frequent flyers.

It is unlikely that an occasional flyer would suffer long term consequences for jet-lag. People working on air freights might however be more vulnerable.

Q3. I am going to attend an important business meeting in London next week. What should I do to keep myself in the best shape?

A3. The "biological clock" in our brain coordinates the activities of various systems to function at a sleep-wake cycle to harmonize with the day-night pattern. This clock is situated at the base of the brain, close to the nerves supplying the eyes. In this way, information on day and night are relayed to other parts of the brain that affect our alertness.

Normally it takes days for an individual to get accustomed to a different time zone. Different people may be affected to different degrees of severity. A person would lose time when flying west to east, and would be more vulnerable to jet-lag.

When travellers cross several time zones by plane, the shift in their biological clock can have profound effect on their performance. If you could adjust your sleeping habit a few days beforehand so as to gradually "fit in" with the future time zone, you would be in a much better shape for important negotiations. That's what politicians often do. Many would even break down the trip by making a short stay somewhere between two cities.

Most business travellers do not have such a luxury, however. Make sure you get a good deal of sleep before your journey and rest as much as possible during your flight. You should avoid scheduling important business meetings at times of your maximum sleepiness at home time. For example, it is not a good idea to make vital decisions at, say, 8 pm in London, because your brain might be dreaming as it is used to. (It's 3 am Hong Kong time!)

Source: Quality HealthCare