There are anti-jet lag medications on the market, as well as commonly used substances, such as melatonin, which help regulate sleep. Many claim that homeopathic remedies work, and they are certainly worth trying. Melatonin, popular among frequent travelers, regulates the sleep pattern, but if the dosage is imprecise or is taken at the wrong time, melatonin may aggravate jet lag.
Sleeping pills are not recommended because they can be dangerous. In a British study, 18% of the 61 sudden deaths among passengers at Heathrow Airport were attributed by blood clots thought to have been caused by sleeping pills which produce a comatose state and cause the blood to collect in the legs. A much safer, gentler option for drifting off to sleep is herbal tea, lavender oil, deep breathing and relaxing music.
You Sleep How you Eat
There are special diets designed to prevent jet lag. Although this might seem like yet another disruption in your schedule, many have found the diet effective in easing the symptoms, or eliminating the problem altogether. The anti-jet lag diet involves alternating between feast days and “fast” days; these “fasts” help remove from the liver excess carbohydrates which cause drowsiness. The diet also works on the principle that protein helps the body stay alert and carbohydrates send the body to sleep. By alternating eating and “fasting”, and carbohydrates and proteins, the body is given cues that will help it adjust to the time change.
The anti-jet lag diet begins three days before the flight is scheduled. Let’s say, for example, you are scheduled to arrive in London on Monday morning. You begin the diet by “feasting” on Thursday. This means eating three full meals with second helpings. They should be high in protein during the day, for example, steak and eggs for breakfast and cold cuts for lunch, and high in carbohydrates at night. Pasta followed by a good night’s sleep is an ideal program for Thursday night. Friday is a fast day. This doesn’t require actual fasting, but the meals should be minimal and you should still feel hungry after eating.
You may drink coffee on either of these days, but only between the hours of 3 and 5 pm, when it is least likely to influence your sleep pattern. Saturday is another feast day: as on Thursday, proteins should be eaten in the morning and carbohydrates should be eaten at night. Sunday, the day of the flight, is a fast day. Since you are arriving in the morning, eat carbohydrates on the plane and go to sleep. You will wake up a few hours later according to British time and eat a high protein breakfast.
Continue eating proteins throughout the day and carbohydrates at night so you can get a good night’s sleep. Remember not to nap during the day, or if you need to snooze, limit it to half an hour. When you fly back home, reverse the order of the diet; beginning three days before the flight.