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5 Tips To Reduce Jet Lag And Enjoy Your Travels Sooner

More individuals are flying now than ever before and jet lag is often an associated experience.  Complete avoidance of jet lag is sometimes unavoidable due to the extent of eastern or western bound travel. Nonetheless, the period of adaptation to the new time zone can be significantly improved.  Follow these simple tips on your next big trip and you will be enjoying your destination sooner than later.

 

What is jet lag?

Jet travel across multiple time zones produces a misalignment between the new actual time and your circadian “internal” clock.  Your circadian clock is responsible for producing certain hormones that control temperature, sleep and various other processes.  You are more susceptible to jet lag when crossing many time zones in one day (usually at least five time zone) and jet lag tends to be worse when travelling in an eastern direction.

What are the symptoms of jet lag?

When travelling east: difficulty falling asleep

When travelling west: difficulty sleeping in

Other symptoms: headaches, upset stomach, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating.  Symptoms usually improve after the first two days.

How to prevent jet lag?

  1. Ensure you remain hydrated, drink lots of water during the flight
  2. Go outside and expose yourself to as much natural light
  3. Before leaving on your trip, for a couple of nights, attempt to: Advance or delay your sleep and wake up time by an hour or two to correspond closer to your new destination time.
  4. Try to adapt your daily routine to the new time schedule as soon as possible: meals, sleep, and other daily routine.
  5. Melatonin can help:

 

Flying East: Phase Advancing

  • 3 mg Melatonin 4.5 hours before sleep and 3 mg  2 hrs before sleep
  • Sunlight in the morning

Flying West: Phase Delaying

  • Bright lights at night
  • Dark in the morning, wear sunglasses if outdoors

Although it is certainly possible to improve your adaptation to jet lag, depending on the extent of travel complete avoidance of jet lag symptoms are not always possible.  Plan according and expect there to a re-adjustment period when your circadian clock re-aligns itself with the new time zone.    Hasta la vista!

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[1] Eastman, C., Burgess, H. (2009). How to travel the world without jet lag. Sleep Med Clin. 4: 241-255.

 

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Neti Pot Sinus Rinse

A recent review article compiled and showcased the scientific evidence supporting the use of nasal irrigation, an Ayurvedic medical tradition that dates back in medical literature to the early 20th century.

What is it?

A mild saline solution in warm water is inserted into one nostril and drains out of the other nostril. This can be administered using a low-pressure device such as a spray or squirt bottle or using a gravity-based pressure such as a netti pot.

How does it work?

The exact mechanism of action has yet to be completely understood. The proposed physiological possibilities are that nasal irrigation improves nasal mucosa function by direct clearing, elimination of inflammatory mediators and improve mucociliary function.

What conditions is nasal irrigation good for?

In preventive studies, nasal saline irrigation was found to be protective with patients having fewer infections, shorter symptom duration, and fewer days of symptoms vs patients who did not perform nasal irrigation.

There is strong evidence that nasal irrigation is effective adjunctive treatment in chronic rhinosinusistis (Runny nose or nasal congestion lasting more than 12 weeks). In a Cochrane review of nasal irrigation demonstrated that daily use was associated with a 64% reduction in overall symptom severity, significant decrease in use of saline sprays, decrease in antibiotics as well as significant improvement in quality of life.

The evidence is limited and less conclusive in the following conditions. Despite these findings it is strongly recommended in consensus guidelines that a trial of nasal irrigation should be performed as the benefit far outweighs the risk as long as you do not have any contra-indications.

  • Rhinitis of pregnancy
  • Acute rhinosinusitis
  • Irritant or allergic rhinitis (reduces histamine and leukotrienes)
  • Upper respiratory tract infection
  • Post operative care after endoscopic sinus surgery
  • Mild to moderate allergies
  • Wegener’s granuloatosis

Minor adverse effect

Fewer than 10% report mild self-limiting adverse effects which include sensation of ear fullness, stinging of the nasal mucosa, and rarely epistaxis (nosebleeds). No serious adverse events have been reported.

If stinging of the nasal mucosa is significant ensure you have prepared the saline solution correctly. A higher concentration than desired can produce these symptoms. All other symptoms can be normal when first initiating the practice of nasal irrigation and should cease after several treatments once the mucous has been thinned and easier movement and flow of the irrigation will result. If these symptoms persist after several treatments you should consider ceasing the practice.

Contraindications

Saline nasal irrigation is strong not recommended:

Incompletely healed facial trauma

Conditions associated with increased risk for aspiration: significant intention tremor or other neurologic or musculoskeletal problems.

______________________________

Harvey, R., Hannan, SA., Badia, L., Scadding, G. (2009). Nasal saline irrigations for the symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev. 4: 1-44.

Rabago, D., Barrett, B., Marchand, L. (2005). Nasal irrigation to treat acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. Am Fam Physician. 72(9): 1661-1662.

Rabago, D., Zgierska, A. (2009).Saline nasal irrigation for upper respiratory conditions. Am Fam Physician. 80:1117-1119.

Scheid, D., Hamm, R. (2004).Acure bacterial rhinosinusitis in adults: part II. Treatments. Am Fam Physician. 70(9): 1697-704

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