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What is jetlagand how do you overcome it?

If you’ve ever been on a long-haul flight and find yourself feeling rather disoriented,

tired and drowsy upon arrival, while your sleep-wake pattern is very much disturbed-

then you’ve suffered the classic symptoms of jetlag. After all, jetlag is a physiological

condition whereby your body’s circadian rhythm is disrupted due to drastic time zone

change. Also known as time zone syndrome and desynchronosis, jetlag symptoms

tend to be more severe when you travel from west to east, than east to west, because

the day will feel longer. As such, you’ll have problems adjusting your body clock to the

new enviroment’s time zone. To beat jetlag, here are a few ways to do so.

BEFORE YOU FLYAlter your sleep time

Keep moving

Few days before you depart, gradually adjust your bedtime schedule to minimise jetlag symptoms. Since “west is best, and east is a beast”, try sleeping earlier if you’re flying east whereas if your’re flying west, move your bedtime a bit later by staying up a little bit more.

To avoid feeling sluggish because you’re going to be seated for a long time in the plane, tryto stay active by constantly moving around, especially at the airport before you board.

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ON THE AIRCRAFT

Stay hydrated

Take it easy

Make sure you consume lots of liquids on the plane. After all, the air at that altitude is drier,thus you’re more prone to feeling dehydrated. Also, it is wise to avoid caffeine and alcohol,which will only aggravate any pre-existing dehydration problems and lead to more severejetlag symptoms later on.

There’s nothing wrong with taking a short nap if you’re feeling tired, but instead of sleepingthe entire journey, simply chill out by reading a book, listening to music or catching up onall your favourite movies! This way, you will feel less groggy and more energised upon landing.

Avoid nap

Exercise

Though you may feel fatigued, don’t be tempted to sleep off the tiredness. Instead , just keepon going about your day as per usual to acclimatise to your new enviroment. Tip: change yourwatch’s time to the local zone immediately!

Get your blood circulation going with a good sweat session. If the weather permits, a quick runwill help boost your energy levels (and allow a good night’s rest after) or alternatively, hit an indoor gym if there’s one nearby. Otherwise, simple streches and exercise routines in your hotel room will do!

WHEN YOU ARRIVE