Don't let jet lag make your journey a drag

By Thurston Hatcher
CNN

ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Three days before their trip, Dr. Michael Smolensky and his family were going to bed early, then forcing themselves up in the middle of the night.

Bound for Italy on a two-week vacation, the Houston, Texas residents changed their sleep routines in hopes of easing their passage between time zones. A little inconvenience up front, they figured, would reap rewards in Rome.

"It will shorten our adjustment process and we'll be able to enjoy our vacation better," said Smolensky, co-author of "The Body Clock Guide to Better Health."

MESSAGE BOARD Travel troubles     ADVISER ARCHIVE Get tips on dozens of travel topics from the scrollbox below Click for more travel advice Airfare bargains Airfare strategies Airlines - auto check-in ATMs overseas Baggage restrictions Booking online Car rental Car rental insur. Cruise bargains Cruise planning Currency conversion Dangerous destinations Duty-free shopping Electric converters E-ticketing Fear of flying Flight delays/cancellations Flying standby Frequent flier tips Gift of travel Health insurance Holiday trips Hotel charges How to complain Jet lag Kids- business travel with Kids flying alone Kids - packing for Language study abroad Late check-in Looking good on-the-go Lost i.d. Lost luggage Lost luggage shop Luggage trends Non-refund. tickets Packing light Packing tips Passports Pet travel - air Pets - hotels Photos - camera film Photos - sunsets Photos - tips from a pro Safety - personal Sleep in coach Solo travel Souvenirs - transporting Strike advice Tipping Trip insurance Vaccinations

It's just one weapon in travelers' arsenal to combat jet lag, the wearying result of a long-distance trip across time zones.

Resetting the body clock

Jet lag has become a catch-all term applied to all kinds of flying-related woes, but it's specifically about demands on the biological clock, said Smolensky, a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Texas School of Public Health at Houston.

Generally, travelers need about one full day of recovery time for each time zone they're crossing, he said, and a day-shortening eastbound flight is more taxing than a westbound flight.

Beyond adjusting your sleep schedule before you leave, there are several other steps any traveler can take to make the transition as comfortable as possible.

One of the most important, experienced travelers say, is to begin adapting quickly to the new time zone. For starters, set your watch to the new time as soon as you board the plane.

"It's hard to totally ignore what time it is at home. You can't help thinking about what's happening at home. But if you can, put yourself in the mindset of the local time as soon as possible," said Diana Fairechild, a former flight attendant and author of "Jet Smarter: The Air Traveler's Rx."

Don't hit the sack

In keeping with that approach, don't go to bed as soon as you check into your hotel in the afternoon after an overnight flight, said Thom Nulty, president of Navigant International, a corporate travel management company.

"Even though you might feel a little tired because your body clock says `I'm tired,' that is the kiss of death. If you do that then you are in trouble," he explained, stressing that you're better off waiting until the locals are calling it a night.

Sleeping on the plane also can help the traveler adjust, although it depends on where you're going and when you'll arrive. If you'll be landing at night, try to sleep, but if it will be daytime when you arrive, stay awake, Smolensky said.

To help you sleep, wear loose-fitting, comfortable clothes, alert the flight attendant that you don't want to be awakened, and skip the in-flight meal.

"Don't feel obligated to wake up 30 minutes later to get a little boxed lunch you don't want anyway," Nulty said.

Light also has a profound effect on your body's clock. Smolensky says people traveling east should spend time outdoors in the late morning and make an effort to avoid light earlier in the morning. Alternately, he says westbound travelers should get out in the late afternoon.

Melatonin might help

Some fliers swear by supplements, including melatonin -- a hormone linked to the body's time clock -- and certain over-the-counter sleep aids. But travelers are advised to test them in advance to make sure they don't have adverse reactions.

There are times when you may not want to even try to adapt to the new time zone. A business traveler heading overseas for a two-day journey may fare best by simply planning a schedule that fits with his or her regular one at home.

Americans in Europe, for example, would want to avoid scheduling meetings in the morning, since that's when they would still be sleeping in their home time zone. Travelers from the U.S. mainland to Hawaii, on the other hand, would favor morning meetings.

"If you're on a very fast itinerary you don't want to get on the local time zone," Fairechild said. "You just want to get enough sleep and stay relaxed and get home."