JET LAG

Our bodies have internal clocks that are far more powerful than we realize. The time you wake up, when you eat, and when you bed down for the night are all determined by this internal clock.

Most of the time, your body’s clock corresponds to your daily schedule – which is why you wake up at the start of the day and go to sleep at the end. When you travel across time zones, however, all of a sudden your body’s clock and the “external” clocks are out of sync. When you fly from New Delhi to Los Angeles, for example, the clock in your hotel may say it’s 7 p.m., but your body thinks that it’s midnight and time to be sleeping.

Jet lag can make you tired and forgetful. It throws off your sleep schedule, so you may have trouble falling asleep or wake up too early. In some cases, people who have jet lag feel irritable, lose their appetites, or even have digestive problems such as heartburn or indigestion.

You don’t have to stay home to beat jet lag. Making a few changes in your habits – before and after you travel – will help put things right. Here’s how.

Stock up on sleep. Although you can’t stores sleep like pennies in a jar, getting extra sleep before you travel and go a long way toward helping you feel refreshed when you arrive.

Plan time to unwind. Sleep experts recommend timing your travel so that you arrive at your destination fairly early in the evening. This will give you time to have a good dinner and to unwind before going to bed. Try to make yourself go to bed at the new time.

Of course, the rules are slightly different depending on the direction you’re traveling. If you’re flying east, it’s going to be later when you arrive, so you may want to leave a little bit earlier in the day. Flying west, on the other hand, can cause you to lose a few hours, so you may want to book your flight a little bit later.

Stock up on fluids. Airline cabins are incredibly dry. Many people get dehydrated before they reach their destinations – and dehydration make jet lag worse. Doctors recommend drinking a lot of water or juice before you leave home, as well as on the plane. Don’t drink alcohol, however, because it can make dehydration worse.

Keep moving. It’s not exactly easy to move around on the plane, but keeping active will help you stay energized and refreshed. At the very least you should walk the aisles periodically and do simple stretching exercises in your seat. When you arrive at your destination, take a little time to walk around or, if your hotel has a pool or gym, get in some exercise.

Spend some time outdoors. Your body’s internal clock is partially regulated by sunlight. Spending time outdoors when you arrive at your new destination will help your body clock adjust more quickly to the transition.