Tips for Jet Lag

I don't use Melatonin, either. I try to be rested before flight, try to sleep on the plane (usually without much success because of squealers), no alcohol or coffee on the plane (well, sometimes I make exception). After landing go to bed in the evening instead of immediately. It's a little bit tougher for us from the west coast because we got 9 hours difference. Now six hours seems easy for me.

Our last trip I took a product called 'No Jet Lag" (probably melatonin). I drank lots of water,avoided pop, alcohol and coffee, used a neck pillow, an eye shade, ear plugs and slept on the plane. Of the 4 of us, I was the only one who did this and I was the only one who was even vaguely human upon arrival in Amsterdam.

'No-Jet-Lag' is not melatonin. It's a homeopathic blend of several active ingredients, including Arnica Montana and wild chamomile. I've seen a difference when I've used it, mostly in being able to sleep better the first night after arrival, and less offset of my body clock during subsequent days. Drinking herbal tea late at night has also helped me.

"'No-Jet-Lag' is not melatonin." Correct so far. "It's a homeopathic blend of several active ingredients, including Arnica Montana and wild chamomile." Well, to call these "active" ingredients is a stretch, because homeopathic medicines are diluted to the point where there is nothing left of the original "active" ingredient. The ingredients in No Jet Lag are diluted 30C, which in homeopathic formulation means they are diluted 1:100, THIRTY TIMES!!!! In other words, put 1 cc of the ingredient in 100 cc of water, mix it up, take 1 cc of that and dilute it in another 100 cc of water, and keep that up for a total of 30 times. What is left? Nothing but water. Which is a good thing, as another of the so-called "active" ingredients in No Jet Lag is ipecac---you know, the stuff you are supposed to have in your poison control kit to induce vomiting. If No Jet Lag works for someone, it is because of the placebo effect, pure and simple. Also, people who live on the east coast have a lot less of a challenge than we who live on the west coast, facing a 9-hour time change (and a longer flight) when we go to Europe. Still, we (hubby and I) manage quite well with a combination of timing the flight and scheduling outdoor activities on our arrival day. Melatonin might be useful, but it is a hormone and something we prefer to avoid taking.

I sometimes use melatonin on the plane, but I know that it doesn't really do a whole lot for me (I have tried it at home just to see what it does with no other distractions like a flight would have). I do not adjust my sleep schedule prior to a trip. I usually get some sleep on the plane, but on arrival I stay outside (if possible) and busy until near my normal bedtime. I am fine the next day. It is coming home that gives me the most problem in adjusting. I never try to sleep coming home (or traveling west), I just act like it's one very long afternoon and read or watch movies.

Melatonin just lightened my wallet. I try to be as physically active as possible until normal bedtime. It usually takes about two days and then no problems with the new time zone.

Wow! Who knew that saying something 'works for me' would evoke such a vehement anti-response. I don't care why or how it works; it just does. Some people use sleeping pills, even though the list of contraindications is long and a bit scary. What works for them isn't comfortable for me, including melatonin.

This was recent discussed extensively within the last month especially "No Jet Lag." The conclusion from many users was that it was worthless. If you think it works, then use but it mostly mental. We have an eight hour difference. What works for us is to time shift at least a couple hours in the week or so before. On the day of departure, we try to run on European time for where we are going to land. May mean that we get us as early as 3 or 4 am and eat meals on the European time. Since our international flights depart around 8 pm we arrive at the airport as early as 4pm or 5 pm. Check in and have nice dinner at the airport. Within thirty minutes of wheels up we are settled in eye shade on, ear plugs in, and try our best to sleep. Ignore all activity on the plane. We do breakfast when they wake up the plane a couple hours before. Freshen as best we can. Once on the ground we stay active outside in the sun till about 2 or 3 pm local time when we take a nap for no more than two hours - generally less. Have dinner on local time, 7/8 pm, to bed around 10 local. Rarely have any problem the next day and if do, it is gone by the second. It is pattern we have developed over many, many trips and works well for us. PS Here is the prior discussion in late March
http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/helpline/index.cfm/rurl/topic/103023/jet-lag-pills-.html

No vehemence at all, just facts. Read the label and understand what "30X" means. There is nothing left of those 5 herbal ingredients after all those dilutions. You would be hard-pressed to find even a single molecule in each pill. So there is no scientific basis for why it "works," any more than a sugar pill. The results people report from using it are either from the placebo effect (after spending $12.00 for the pills you've got to believe in it), or from the other things one does to care for oneself on the trip---staying hydrated, resting, etc.

I use three approaches together before I leave: melatonin, light exposure, and diet. I find them all useful, melatonin the most so. On my last trip I effectively had no jet lag. I do very little of that coming home because it is just not worth it to me.

We used to use No Jet Lag when traveling west to east, but I think the more you travel the less jet lag affects you. I have found, through empirical research, that alcohol works best for me. That,and starting your daily routine at your new place just as it was in your old place. We don't use anything any more, nor feel the need to.

For me, sleep deprivation is more of a problem than jet lag. I don't get to travel very often so I'm always too excited to sleep the night before departure, and I can rarely get more than an hour's sleep on the plane. Plus, because I usually fly non-rev (stand-by for airline employees and families) I fly out of Tulsa to Dallas earlier than I need to just to have a better chance of making the European flight. That means a long day at DFW! So by the time I get to London, for example, I'm exhausted. I'm so exhausted that I'm loopy; I can't take anything in and I'm a danger to myself - looking left instead of right before crossing the street :P So, as much as it pains me to do so, I catch a quick nap and take a shower before venturing back out. I feel so much better and am better able to appreciate what I have traveled to see. And yet I'm still tired enough to go to sleep around 10:00.

My approach - I take a daytime flight to London. This only works if you live on the east coast. It doesn't eliminate jet lag, but it doesn't eliminate the travel fatigue you get from staying up all night on an overnight flight. The flight I usually take leaves IAD around 9:30am and arrives at LHR at 10pm the same day. I love that I arrive in the evening, go straight to my hotel. I usually just sleep in a bit late the first morning and after that am good to go.

Yes I think its important to point out that there is "jet lag" and then there is "travel fatique " and they are not the same thing. Melatonin can make you drowsy, some people find that only 3mg will do it, others need a higher dose, 5mg or more. The thing with melatonin is that it is not a sleeping pill, it will help you feel the urge to sleep, but it will not KEEP you asleep, it is not a sedative. ( conversely this is good no hangover or left over drowsiness to contend with )

conversely this is good no hangover or left over drowsiness to contend with Melatonin does have that side effect when I take it, and I only take .5 milligrams of it. Another common side effect is intense "high-definition" dreams.

Most of the focus on jet lag here is on west to east travel. Any advice for east to west? I'm flying back to San Francisco for the first time ever and I'd like to be able to hit the ground running. My flight gets in at 4pm, so I'm hoping I can just go to bed at a "normal" evening time after being exhausted from the flight (can't sleep on planes). Any specific advice for return trips, though?

I don't know if it's the right advice but I generally don't sleep on the plane going home. This is where I watch the in flight entertainment (on the way, I don't even check what the options are). I stretch my day out with the sun and go to bed fairly early the first night in the states. I don't feel like I have nearly as much problem going West - though I recall once flying from the US to Guam (after three weeks in the US), years ago, and having a pretty rough time bouncing back.

The purpose of melatonin in this context is not to induce sleep on the plane but to reset your circadian clock. It can do that, for some people, if taken at the right time, regardless of whether they sleep afterwards. According to studies I have read about, small doses (0.5 mg) are as effective as larger doses for this purpose.

I liked that the difference between "jet lag" and "travel fatigue" was mentioned! We have no discernible trouble with "jet lag," and our "travel fatigue" is overcome with a few nights of sleep. That being said, we (coming from the west coast) always take a Tylenol P.M. on the long leg (usually say..DFW to LHR, or whatever)and sleep as much as possible, drink no alcohol during travel, but LOTS of water, take a long walk when we arrive, eat whatever meal is due at wherever we are (if we arrive in the a.m., eat breakfast, mid day,eat lunch) and go to bed early, say 9 pm, the first night....next day, we are good to go and do anything and everything!! Probably excitement at being somewhere new helps!! But I swear by that formula! Those that take naps seem to keep their schedule upset and take longer to get in the groove.

The hard part is that it's probably different for each individual since our bodies react so differently. For our recent trip to Italy (flew 10 hours between Seattle and Amsterdam), we also avoided alcohol and caffeine, took a tramadol pill to sleep, used ear plugs to block the screamers, took Airborne throughout, bought a travel pillow for the extra cushion and we both slept 5.5 hours on the flight. I think it also helps to land as late as possible to get on the new time clock. We landed at 4:30 and by the time we got to our place, had dinner and walked for a bit, it was already 10:30. I took some melatonin to ensure that I would sleep and woke up nine hours later feeling just fine. I've tried the same thing on the way back and am feeling it much more. I've woken up at 3 a.m. and then 4 a.m. and hopefully I'll be better by tomorrow. I also used No Jet Lag and even if it's a placebo, I'm okay with spending $10 to feel better when traveling (it's cheaper on Amazon).

For me, three things: Follow the light Exercise at the right time
Temporary use of Benedryl Follow the light: Get light exposure at the right time of day. If you are moving east, get light in the morning. If you are moving west, get it in the evening. I actually got this advice from the Virgin Atlantic app, and found that it works well for me. Exercise at the right time: in the afternoon if I'm trying to stay awake. In the morning if I'm trying to go to bed Benedryl: I carry it for my allergies. But I also take one (not two) capsule prior to going to bed on the first two nights. This keeps my sleep depressed enough that I don't come fully awake after getting rid of the initial exhaustion.

I would like to add that my husband and I have used "No Jet Lag" for eight years now. We are going back to Australia and New Zealand (for first time) in October. We used it before, going to Australia and we had no jet lag. I see that somebody recommended that the "No Jet Lag" is available on Amazon. I will look into it. Otherwise we have always bought it at Magellan (or available on Magellan.com). Thank you. I don't care how it works either. All I know is that it has worked for us for long trips.

I have used No Jet Lag a couple of times in the last ten years or so, not any more since 2007. It did work. I don't take it since it's a nuisance to take and don't want to be bothered when I can sleep instead. Flying from the West Coast I am ready for a ten hour flight (almost 11 hrs from Europe back to SFO). Have a good hot meal, ie. that airplane food, a little red wine, and a cup of coffee. Then sleep period. When you wake up, drink water, go back to sleep. No movies, reading, music etc.

OK, so a few people say they have used The NoJet Lag pills and it worked for them. Guess what zany of of have never used No Jet Lag. And have not experienced jet lag. So what do you make of that? Every human being is different and unique. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for someone else. Meds that work for large groups of people don't work for everyone. Sometimes they can harm or kill. If this were not so, the pharmaceutical industry would not exist as it does today, there would be little or no need for continuing medical and pharmaceutical research, and the practice of medicine would be entirely different. Meanwhile, billions of people elsewhere in the world practice Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine and have done for much longer than Western medicine has existed.