Reset your body clock to beat jet lag

JET LAG OCCURS WHEN YOUR BODY

CLOCK GETS OUT OF SYNC CROSSING

TIME ZONES. MOST OF US KNOW THE SYMPTOMS – DISTURBED SLEEP, DAYTIME FATIGUE, LESS ABILITY FOR BOTH MENTAL AND PHYSICAL TASKS, REDUCED ALERTNESS, AND HEADACHES. HOW

LONG THEY LAST IS QUITE PERSONAL BUT USUALLY A FEW DAYS, OR LONGER. DOES YOUR HOLIDAY INVOLVE TIME TRAVELLING?

HERE’S WHAT TO DO

“WHEN YOU ARRIVE, STAY AWAKE, EAT AND GO TO BED AT THE CORRECT TIME FOR YOUR NEW TIME ZONE,” SAYS NORMA EVANS, SPECIALIST NURSE IN TRAVEL HEALTH AND NURSE DIRECTOR AT TRAVELFIT TRAINING.

SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS YOU CAN OUTDOORS IN DAYTIME – THE EFFECT OF THE NATURAL LIGHT ON OUR BRAIN IS WHAT HELPS US ADJUST. DURING DAYLIGHT THE BODY’S PRODUCTION OF MELATONIN, WHICH SIGNALS TO OUR BODY CLOCK

THAT IT’S TIME TO SLEEP AND TIME TO

STAY AWAKE (SEE BELOW), DECREASES.

CAFFEINE CAN HELP YOU IF YOU’RE PARTICULARLY STRUGGLING.

“IF YOU TAKE REGULAR MEDICATION, READJUST THE TIME YOU TAKE IT BY TWO HOURS A DAY (SET AN ALARM ON YOUR PHONE OR WATCH AS A REMINDER),” ADVISES NORMA.

SOME STUDIES SUGGEST TAKING MELATONIN, A HORMONE THAT HELPS REGULATE OUR BODY CLOCK, IN SUPPLEMENT FORM CAN HELP. HOWEVER IN THE UK, IT IS ONLY LICENSED AS A TREATMENT FOR SLEEP PROBLEMS IN PEOPLE AGED OVER 55, NOT JET LAG. IF YOU SUFFER BADLY FROM JET LAG YOU MAY BE ABLE TO OBTAIN IT “OFF LABEL” ON A PRIVATE PRESCRIPTION FROM A PRIVATE GP OR SPECIALIST TRAVEL DOCTOR. AVOID BUYING ONLINE EXCEPT THROUGH UK REGISTERED E-PHARMACIES, SAYS PROFESSOR LARRY GOODYER, CONSULTANT TRAVEL HEALTH SPECIALIST FOR NOMAD CLINICS, AND PROFESSOR OF PHARMACY PRACTICE AT DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY.