Avoiding JetLag on your Hawaii Vacation
Jetlag is universal. Our bodies are programmed to be active and alert during the day and to sleep at night. Travelling across the earth's time zones disrupts these natural rhythms, resulting in extreme tiredness. Other symptoms can include insomnia, stomach upsets, aches and pains, and a sense of disorientation.
There is 20-25 per cent less oxygen in the cabin when you fly and that's really the cause of jet lag. Lack of oxygen impairs both physical and mental performance.
If you want to get more out of the start of your holiday, it's important to be well rested before you leave. Be in a calm state of mind if possible. Fifty per cent of prominent jet lag is psychological. If you think you're going to suffer badly, then you will,' says Farrol Kahn, a medical author and director of the Aviation Health Institute.
Kahn advises changing your watch to your destination time as soon as you board the aircraft and to eat little during the journey. However, resetting your watch on board may not be a good idea for everyone. If you take regular medication, e.g. for diabetes, watches should remain on home-time until you are able to adjust your medication to local time at your destination, or as suggested by your doctor.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine, and drink plenty of water to combat the dehydrating recycled cabin air. Many long flights are at night: ear plugs and eye-masks are inexpensive ways to help you get some sleep.
Head for the sunshine
When you arrive, going for a nap is the worst thing you can do, because it sets your body's rhythms back to home time. Staying active on arrival will help the body adjust to the new time zone. Eating and sleeping are your body's time indicators, so it's important to fit in with what the locals are doing when you arrive. Consequently, if it's breakfast time, eat breakfast. Exposing yourself to as much daylight as possible might also be a good idea, because it has been shown that bright light can help to reset your body's inner rhythms.
Jetlag does not need to ruin the beginning or end of your holiday. With a little planning and sensible preparation, you can minimise the adverse effects of flying. Aviation Health Institute: www.aviation-health.org
