[Randman]

Last week did a killer amount of flyingL 18 hours from Singapore to Newark (non-stop), crossing the Pacific, then onto Charlotte. A couple of days later flew Charlotte to Newark and after a weekend of fun in New York, flew back to Singapore (again, 18 hours non-stop), this time crossing the Atlantic.

I'm feeling pretty good today, had lunch and aren't tired even with only 3 hours of sleep last night. Yesterday was rough. Slept most of the afternoon (arrived at 5am), then worked in the evening but didn't do anything that took too much brain power. Also, had zero appetite. Only had some chicken wings and a couple of meatballs in sauce.

So, how do others get over/endure/cope with jet lag?

[JoshuaZ]

Sleep. Then get on their time zone as soon as possible.

I know the feeling. I'm heading to Japan on Saturday.

[Cubeoid]

The harsh realities of jet lag can only be overcome by becoming a pilot and/or a frequest flyer/flyboy/flygirl.

[nonhuman]

I find it helps to have a completed ****ed up sleep schedule in the first place. If you're used to be totally nocturnal anyway, it doesn't really matter what time zone you're in.

[Il Duce]

One method (but bear in mind that I haven't tried it) is to go for a walk in the morning and get some sun (especially on the back of the legs - don't ask me why)

The theory is that sunlight helps reset the cycle that your body is currently in by inhibiting the synthesis of a hormone called melatonin. Melatonin is released by the brain at night and helps you sleep, so another alternative is to take a melatonin supplement at night.

Here is a random google page on melatonin

[JoshuaZ]

Or you could do like some people I know and drink heavily while on the plane.

[Cubeoid]

Originally Posted by JoshuaZ

Or you could do like most people I know and drink heavily while on the plane.

fixornetatoredz

[- - e r i k - -]

Alcohol won't do you much good. But agreed on the f*cked up sleep-pattern actually. Just slide into the time-zone ahead of travel

[jonasmac]

That's some crazy traveling! I've done flights similar to yours. 14 hours from Guam to LA, 12 hours from Tokyo to Detroit. However I sleep like a log on planes or I force myself to stay awake, depending on the current time of my destination.

For jet lag, though, I suggest plenty of sleep and lots of water. Going out during the day and getting some sun also is beneficial.

[macmad]

The best trick I find is to set your watch to the destination time when you board the plane. This gives you the whole flight to get used to the new time.

[starman]

Fists with your toes

[awaspaas]

The morning sun is key to this. Force yourself to get up early and go for a walk like one of the other posters said - a run or a bike ride would probably be even better. Don't take any naps during the day or evening even if you're tired and go to bed at your normal time or a little earlier. The sun helps reset your clock and the exercise gives you more energy to get through the process without feeling as tired.

[xi_hyperon]

When I fly overnight, it's always going to Europe, and I arrive early in the morning. I stay up the whole day once there (and that is tough sometimes), and go to bed around 9:00PM local time. That eliminates 80% of the jetlag I would get otherwise, and I feel pretty normal by the following day.

[Macfreak7]

What usually works for me is NOT to sleep, no matter how tired I am, until it's time to sleep in that particular time zone.
Also, I think there are some pills available which help reset your body clock to something more normal.

[DarwinX]

:Trying not to sound stupid:

While I know the time change is a factor, I have been more recently informed that the phenomenon of "jet lag" has more to do with the pressure change due to flying in the plane as opposed to being on ground. How one is to solve this after affected is beyond me. Without trying to derail the thread, I believe this is what Boeing is striving for in the new 787 Dreamliner by creating a more equal balance between the pressure you experience on the ground, and the one you're exposed to while flying in a commercial airliner.

Just my 2 cents...

[ReggieX]

I just try to sleep/eat my way into the new time zone, not overdoing the caffeine intake, and some light exercise (like walking around for 10 to 20 minutes). Seems to work OK.

Originally Posted by starman

Fists with your toes

McClane!

[tooki]

It's simple (I'm a seasoned traveler): don't go to sleep early. Stay awake till almost your normal bed time. Then you'll sleep a bit longer than normal, but you'll be more-or-less on the right schedule.

tooki

[SSharon]

Originally Posted by nonhuman

I find it helps to have a completed ****ed up sleep schedule in the first place. If you're used to be totally nocturnal anyway, it doesn't really matter what time zone you're in.

This is the way I do it every time I travel. I frequently go to sleep at 5 or 6 am and can sleep all day so when I get off a plane I just change my watch and that's it.
I don't know about this whole pressure changing deal since all the long flights I have been on where large jets that are actually more pressurized than smaller planes used for domestic travel. Perhaps it is simply the amount of time at the adjusted pressure and not the exact pressure itself...

[SirCastor]

Drink lots of water. Get yourself hydrated. The Air that goes through a plane cabin has moisture sucked out of it (helps prevent other organisms from hanging around in there). So You'll do yourself a favor by drinking water.

[tooki]

The dryness isn't deliberate at all -- it's got nothing to do with decontamination. The air in an aircraft is entirely replaced several times per hour with fresh air from outside. The air at altitude is at subzero temperatures, so it has 0% humidity. (They heat the air to a comfortable temperature by running part of it through the engines.)

So yes, it is critical to drink plenty of fluids during flight. (People have died from not doing that -- literally the blood becomes too viscous to function and they keel over.)

tooki

[micahgartman]

A recent article on news.google.com dicussed this same topic. Some Swiss (or was it German) scientists say the cure for jet lag is ejaculation. Apparently, our bodies release tons of serotonin after we 'get off,' which inevitably leads to the often-discussed "rolling over and falling asleep."

Of course, this reminds me of a joke I once heard on Comedy Central about being a member of the "Mile High Club--Solo Aviator Division." +1 for masturbation!

[JHromadka]

http://www.forbes.com/work/2005/07/1...Forbes article on Jet Lag (apparantly it's 2 words).

[JHromadka]

Dupe