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Beat the jetlag blues
LONDON, England (CNN) -- Criss-crossing time zones from continent to continent screws up your body clock. And as the body battles jetlag, the mind often has to cope with high-level meetings and decisions. A good sleep before a long-haul flight could make all the difference, scientists from Sweden's Karlinska Institute suggest. Many long-distance travellers suffer from jetlag, it has a major impact on work performance and is bad for your health. It can also affect your memory by 20 percent and impair your communication skills.
Sleep deprivation can be like being drunk. Fifty milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood is above the average drink-driving level. More than 18 hours without sleep can have a similar effect. Aviation physician David Flower says: "Your performance will be affected in the same way as if you've had enough drink to exceed the drink drive limit. Of course you would never dream of going to work in that circumstance. "Many travelers don't think about how they are actually going to be able to do their job when they get there. They don't think about the meetings and planning the timings of the meetings so that they are performing at their best at the times." Torbjorn Akerstedt, who has studied jetlag at the Karlinska Institute, says many travellers do not think about sleep until it is too late. It is the sleep before the trip that matters as much as the snooze on the plane. Akerstedt says travellers should sleep in a dark, cool place. "You need to get rid of excess heat before you go to sleep." A good bed is essential and avoid alcohol, nicotine and caffeine, including chocolate and tea. CNN's Paula Hancocks contributed to this report
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