Fighting the Monster Jet Lag

It's quite possible that the reason I'm blogging about jet lag is because I'm OOBER sleepy this morning. HA! It's reminding me of my 1st trip to the Holy Land; I wasn't prepared for the jet lag nor had I ever experienced it this badly. 
Dad didn't seem to struggle with it since his adrenaline kept him going like the energizer bunny, but dear friends...I FELT DRUGGED! 

You may be wondering exactly what jet lag is. MSN posted an artical from "The Independant Traveler" that I found to be helpful! It's a bit long, but VERY worth the read. Here it is:

 Jet lag is physical reaction to a rapid change in time zones. It affects most travelers, including seasoned fliers like flight attendants and pilots. Common symptoms include disorientation, irritability, fatigue, swollen limbs and eyes, headaches, cold-like symptoms, and irregular bowels.

Long-haul flying can be debilitating. Dehydration, unfamiliar foods, cramped spaces, recycled air, lack of sleep, uncomfortable clothes, continual low-level noise, connections that disrupt sleep, and other factors all add to the misery of jet lag, and can even make you feel jet lagged when you're just a little beat up.

On long flights, especially red-eye flights, you can lose several hours of sleep time, which can set you back considerably even without the jarring time change. If you live by a regular schedule (up at 7, in bed by 10 every night), watch out. Jet lag hits those with rigid body clocks the hardest.

A general rule of thumb to keep in mind before any long trip is the 1:1 ratio: allow yourself one day to recover for every hour time difference you experience.

Before You Go
Treat your body well before you fly. Exercise, sleep well, stay hydrated . Some travelers like to exercise before they go to the airport. (This can actually help you sleep better on the plane.) Once you're at the airport, avoid the escalators and moving sidewalks; instead, walk and take the stairs on the way to your check-in area and gate connections.

Adjust your habits before you leave. If you are traveling from the East to the West Coast, you're facing a three-hour time change and you should try to adjust your internal clock. Three or four days before you leave, start to stay up a little later than usual, and sleep in a little longer. That way, if you become accustomed to falling asleep at 1 a.m. and waking up at 9 a.m. on the East Coast, it will be the same as falling asleep at 10 p.m. and waking up at 6 a.m. on the West Coast. Traveling west to east, do the opposite: get up and go to bed earlier.

Wearing two watches, one set to the current time, and one to the time at your destination, can help you prepare yourself mentally for the coming time change.

During the Flight
Perhaps the most effective way to combat jet lag while in flight is to treat your body well. Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of nonalcoholic, non-caffeinated fluids. Don't be afraid to ask your flight attendant for extra water.

Get up out of your seat at regular intervals to walk and stretch. You can also do exercises like toe raises, isometric exercises, stomach crunches and shoulder shrugs right in your seat. This keeps your blood flowing and prevents it from pooling at your extremities, a common phenomenon in pressurized cabins.

• Other Tips:
• Get up to wash your face, brush your teeth or just stand up for several minutes. Wear loose-fitting clothing that breathes. Bring a neck pillow, blindfold or ear plugs -- these are invaluable on red-eye flights. Also, avoid any snug footwear (high heels or tight tennis shoes); it is quite possible that your feet will swell in transit, making your post-flight trek to baggage claim a nightmare.

Vitamins
Some travelers use sleeping pills, antihistamines and motion sickness pills to induce sleep on planes, at hotels, in airports and on layovers. While they work for some, others are left feeling miserably groggy. Consult your doctor before taking any medication.

Light Therapy

Some researchers and enthusiasts recommend simply spending 15 - 20 minutes in direct sunlight without sunglasses as soon as possible after landing.

Dietary Tactics
The so-called "jet lag diet," an alternation of feasting and fasting for three days leading up to a long-haul flight, was very popular a few years back. Ronald and Nancy Reagan used it during their White House days, and some travelers still do.

Restrict your diet to foods that are easily digested, like those that are relatively high in fiber but not too rich. Fats tend to keep you awake, while carbs usually put you to sleep. If you need to stay awake to help you get on local time, eat peanuts, eggs, meats and other high-protein or fatty foods. If you need to fall asleep, eat carbs like pasta or bread.

Caffeine is also useful if you need to stay awake, but don't go overboard. While it might seem tempting to guzzle several cups of coffee when your eyelids begin to droop, you could end up wide awake at 1 a.m. Be sure to use all dietary changes in moderation.