If you're planning to fly on vacation this summer, you're likely to experience what's known as "Jet Lag." The further away you go, the more you'll feel the effects of this time difference. To help you prepare for it, we'll explain how to limit the impact of Jet Lag using homeopathy .
Better understand Jet Lag and its effects on our body
To understand Jet Lag, you must first know that our body functions in 24-hour sleep-wake cycles. During each of these cycles, our body produces a hormone, melatonin, in varying quantities. When it is daytime, the melatonin level is very low. The darker it gets, that is, at the end of the day and then throughout the night, the more this level increases. Melatonin is therefore the sleep hormone; it is its variations throughout each of our cycles that make us sleep or stay awake.
The problem with jet lag occurs because this sleep-wake cycle is disrupted. When you fly across multiple time zones, the sunrise and sunset times change… But your body doesn’t follow this new rhythm! Your body will be aware of the change in outside light, but it will take several days for your body to adjust your melatonin levels, and therefore your sleep-wake cycle.
Jet lag is usually more noticeable if you are traveling eastward, such as to Europe, than westward. This is because it is often easier to go to bed later than earlier. It seems that it takes about a day for each hour of time difference for the body to re-establish a normal circadian cycle. If you are going on vacation to a country where the time zone is 7 hours behind where you live, it could take up to 7 days for you to feel fully adjusted to this new schedule.
Beyond 2 hours of time difference, several symptoms due to Jet Lag can occur:
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Digestive disorders
These symptoms are benign and disappear after a few days. However, they are no less difficult to bear. So to avoid letting jet lag ruin a whole part of your vacation, we suggest you discover some easy-to-follow tips...
Our tips to avoid the effects of Jet Lag
Set your watch to the arrival time
By setting your watch or phone clock to the time in your arrival country as soon as you board the plane, you will be able to start getting used to the new times that await you. This will help you know whether it is time to eat or sleep. This simple little gesture will help you feel less jet lag upon arrival.
Leave the screens aside
If it's time to sleep during your flight, leave your screens off and prefer, for example, to read a book. Indeed, the light emitted by screens (phones, tablets, etc.) can further disrupt your sleep-wake cycle and worsen the effects of jet lag.
Drink smart
Before you board the plane, during the flight and in the hours following landing, your best friend is still water! Forget tea, coffee, soda or even alcohol. All these drinks have an impact on your sleep-wake cycle and risk disrupting it even more.
No to sleeping pills
You might be tempted to swallow a small sleeping pill to help you sleep on the plane and not see the flight hours go by… Again, as with the drinks mentioned above, this would be a mistake! Sleeping pills will disrupt your circadian rhythm and can make the symptoms of Jet Lag take even longer to disappear.
Take advantage of natural remedies
Homeopathy is excellent for relieving the symptoms of jet lag .
- Jet Lag Homeocan tablets contain Chamomile, a plant known for its beneficial effect on our sleep. You can start taking these tablets 1 hour before departure and continue taking them for 2 to 3 days after landing.
- To help your internal clock get back on track, Jet Lag Granules Complex is an ideal remedy. At a rate of 3 granules per dose, 3 times a day, it will simply and naturally help you alleviate the symptoms of jet lag.
Adopt the local rhythm
Once you arrive, try to adapt to the local rhythm immediately. Eat your meals at a good time, try to go to bed at a reasonable hour and, above all, make the most of the daylight and do some light physical exercise, such as walking.
All of these tips will help you survive jet lag and make the most of every minute of your vacation!