|
Page: Prevention and Recovery
Main article
| Home > Travel Health > Prevention and Recovery |
Simple prevention can be good sleep while aboard the plane, and adequate intake of fluids (without excessive amounts of caffeine or alcohol) to reduce the effects of dehydration on the body, caused by the dry air at altitude and the interruption of regular eating/drinking patterns. Seasoned travelers set their clock to the destination time zone, as soon as it is practical, and join the new rhythm. Exposure to sunlight may be a factor to reset the body's clock.
The condition of jet lag generally lasts many days or more, and medical experts have deemed that a recovery rate of "one day per time zone" is a fair guideline.[citation needed] Good sleep hygiene promotes rapid recovery from jet lag: in fact sleep, relaxation, moderate exercise, and sensible diet seem to be the simplest recovery methods. However, for occasional flights, it can be an effective non-drug remedy to skip sleep entirely for one night and one day and then go to bed at a normal destination-area bedtime (it may work better not to sleep the night before the flight); this allows a relatively quick recovery for many people (much faster than one day per time zone).
However, since the experience of jet lag varies among different individuals, it is difficult to assess the efficacy of any single remedy. In addition, most chemical and herbal remedies are not tested or approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
|
Important notice:
The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other
qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
|