Going on vacation to the USA, Mexico, Japan, Thailand or any destination with a different time zone? If so, you're probably familiar with a phenomenon called jet lag, in which your circadian rhythm struggles to synchronize with the sleep and activity times of your new place.
This phenomenon impairs the enjoyment of the trip and causes waking up at night, poor sleep and fatigue during the day. Of course, it is important to note that this is a natural and familiar phenomenon that stems from the confusion experienced by our biological sleep and wake clock. In a large article about the phenomenon published in the British Mirror, 9 methods given by experts were published, which can reduce the phenomenon of your jet lag.
You'll finally be able to reset yourself (illustration), Photo: Getty Images
Force your body to adapt to the sleep and activity schedules of the new place. This may sound obvious advice, yet many people don't follow it. In other words, people sleep in the middle of the day and flow with their difficulties, instead of understanding that resistance to these difficulties and desires will force the body faster to synchronize with the operating hours of their vacation spot.
2. Don't eat junk food or sweets
When we are tired, we tend to look for foods that will give us energy in a concentrated way to help us cope with fatigue. But that's a mistake that doesn't really solve the jet lag over time. Instead of junk, consuming fruits and nuts is a better long-term way to help alleviate the phenomenon.
It turns out that drinking plenty of water greatly helps the body adapt to the local time. On the other hand, it is recommended during the adjustment days not to consume alcohol, which only further interferes with the new sleep routine of travelers.
GO AHEAD, DRINK - AND A LOT!, PHOTO: PIXABAY
Excessive exposure of the body to the sun signals to the body that it is present during the day and not at night, so it must be alert. The same goes for the other side: avoiding the light while going to sleep also helps the body understand that it is during sleep and not during wakefulness.
One useful way to reset your body's circadian rhythm is by exercising moderately like brisk walking or running. These activities, it turns out, "reset our biological clock," one expert told the newspaper.
Running, photo: Getty Images
If we said that long sleep during the day is a negative thing that does not help the body's circadian rhythm synchronize with the hours of operation of the new place, then short naps of up to 20 minutes, if they are done during active hours and not towards night, help the body a lot to cope with jet lag.
Trying to stay awake instead of your soul? Know that caffeine can help manage your fatigue during the day and keep you awake.
Another method that requires consultation with a specialist is taking sleeping pills. In this context, Dr. Babak Ashrafi noted that "these are drugs containing melatonin that will help the body enter sleep mode in the new place, even though it is its hours of activity to begin with. However, the use of these aids requires consultation with doctors."
Stress is another factor in how tired we feel, explains Lee Thompson, who leads adventure trips. Therefore, the expert notes that one of his best ways when arriving at your vacation destination is to "let go, don't rush and take your time, so you can better cope with the jet lag."
The time difference after flights does its job (illustration), photo: Getty Images
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