The experts' secret: the right way to overcome jet lag

Many of us know that familiar and annoying feeling: you arrive on vacation, it is three in the afternoon, and all you want to do is fall into bed. On the other hand, sometimes you find yourself wide awake at three in the morning, when the brain is working overtime and there is no chance for continuous sleep.

Jet lag — the most annoying souvenir from any trip — is the price we pay for flying around the globe. So how does this mechanism work, and what can you do to alleviate the phenomenon?

Biological clock vs. local time: why does this happen?

Jet lag is the feeling created when local time changes sharply, while your biological clock tries to close the gap. "After a quick trip through several time zones, your internal biological time initially remains adjusted to home, while you are trying to sleep, eat, and function according to the destination's time," explained Dr. Nina Rezhurjek, a researcher at the University of Cambridge, in an interview with the BBC. "This mismatch can cause poor sleep, daytime sleepiness, poor concentration, irritability, and digestive problems."

According to experts, the phenomenon is closely related to "circadian rhythms" — the body's internal clock. Dr. Anna Edmondson, a molecular biologist at the Medical Research Council in Cambridge, told the BBC that almost all cells in our body have their own 24-hour clock, synchronized by a "master clock" in the brain.

These clocks are set by environmental signals, one of the most important being the light and dark cycle. When the cycle changes suddenly due to a flight, it takes the central clock several days to adapt. "In fact, your body remains tethered to the time zone from which you took off," she said.

Also, the direction of the flight has a significant impact. Dr. Rezhurjek notes that traveling east is usually harder, because for most people it is easier to move the internal clock to a later time than an earlier one.

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Step by step: how to reset the biological clock

Although there is no magic cure for jet lag, its intensity can certainly be reduced. Dr. Tatiana Wilson, another researcher in the field of circadian rhythms from the University of Cambridge, notes that there are many ways within our control to reintegrate the clock, including light exposure, nutrition, and physical activity. Here are the experts' main recommendations:

1. Take advantage of sunlight: morning light advances the biological clock, while evening light increases alertness and delays it. Expose yourself to natural light at the right time.

2. Go for a walk: light inside buildings is much dimmer than natural light. Go outside at the appropriate time of day to help reset the clock, and perform light physical activity like walking.

3. Maintain proper nutrition: eat during the day and avoid food at night, a few hours before sleep. Eating late may delay the release of the hormone melatonin.

4. Maintain good sleep hygiene: try to go to sleep at the desired time at your destination, ensure a low light level, keep the room dark and cool, and stick to your normal night routine.

The researchers warned against using sleep supplements and melatonin to overcome the phenomenon. Dr. Edmondson clarified that in the UK, melatonin is a prescription-only drug and should be used only on the recommendation of a medical professional. Dr. Wilson adds that even if melatonin can be purchased without a prescription, you will not always know what you are getting: "The dosage in these supplements may be significantly different from what is stated on the packaging."