Jet lag refers to the feeling of tiredness that people experience after making a long journey by plane to a place where the time is different from where they have boarded. It occurs merely because the sleeping and waking patterns are disturbed due to travelling. Biologically speaking, jetlag is based on the changes in our circadian rhythm. This is otherwise known as our’ body clock’, which is a 24-hour cycle that runs in our bodies and around which our daily activities such as walking, eating, sleeping, body temperature etc. are based
Many travellers and crews of the plane also go through jet lag. When someone has jet lag, their body temperature will alter from the norm; you will find yourself feeling hungry, uncomfortable and even suffering from insomnia and lack of productivity. Your blood pressure may rise; you will feel tired and groggy.
To discuss the topic further, I had a conversation with my pilot friend Pilot Arlen Yousefian (Instagram A/c -pilotarlen ) who is a celebrity private jet pilot and captain for Peter Diamandis.
Captain Arlen’s views – Jet lag is something Passengers and Pilots have to deal with every time we travel. Jet lag might be hard on passengers but is a lot harder on us (pilots). Travellers rely on me as their pilot to be alert while I am flying, for apparent reasons. But because I spend my days (and nights) flying across all types of time zones, managing Jet-Lag is practically a job requirement. You have to prepare your body for it. Staying hydrated is one of the best solutions. You have to intake as much water as you can, avoid soft drinks, diet sodas, or sugary Juices. Get consistent rest; your body has its own clock. It doesn’t matter where I am, but I always try to sleep at the same time I usually do. I avoid caffeine at all costs, because it keeps your body tensed, alert, and makes it harder for me to fall asleep when I need to. I only use caffeine when I need to stay alert. I only have a half cup, never a full cup. Try to match your rest time with your destination time.
Thanks, Arlen for sharing your views.
There are many ways to treat or minimize jet lag. Here are some tips below–
1.) Before a flight, have a good sleep like pilots do when they take trips, they rest well before taking off for their journeys.
2.) Take connecting flights with layovers so that your body has more time to adapt to the new routine.
3.) Have plenty of water and say goodbye to sleeping pills during flight time.
4.) Keep a well-balanced diet before a flight and during flight and also avoid consuming a large or heavy meal.
5.) Take things which make you feel comfortable in the plane like eye masks, earplugs, noise-cancelling headphones, etc. which will help you to rest well while travelling through flights.
6.) Do some exercise or walk along the aisle in the flight.
Finally, I would like to say that jet lag is not a big problem, don’t miss enjoyable moments while travelling through flights because of this. Jet lag is temporary; it can be treated in various ways which are listed above. So, move on to your travelling journey through flights happily and with ease.
Enjoy your trip!
By – Rida Khan
(Instagram A/c – aviationauthor.ridakhan)
