Anyone who has traveled from one time zone to another knows about the fatigue and insomnia that disrupts mental health. Your body and brain thrive on regular, predictable cycles of sleep and wakefulness, and when you shift that cycle even by a few hours, you may experience the discomfort of jet lag.
When it’s dark out, the body produces melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep. But when your body clock is confused by changing time zones, melatonin levels change and the direction of travel makes a difference.
Flying east makes it more difficult to fall asleep, while flying west makes it harder to stay asleep. The next time you take a trip across time zones, consider these strategies to minimize your jet lag and optimize your vacation or business trip:
• Get your body used to the new time zone — go outside and expose yourself to sunlight as soon as you arrive at your destination.
• Adjust to the new time zone by eating meals at the local time and avoid eating heavy meals so it’s easier to fall asleep at the new bed time.
• Consider a small dose of melatonin starting at one-half a milligram taken at bedtime if you are flying east. If you are traveling west, try taking it late at night to help you stay asleep.
• Try to limit alcohol and caffeine consumption. Even though alcohol may make you feel sleepy initially, the effect is often brief and can make jet lag symptoms worse.