The curse of long-haul air travel across time
zones, jet lag can bring down even the most hardened road warrior.
According to the Washington, D.C.-based National Sleep Foundation
(
www.sleepfoundation.org), it takes the body one full
day for each hour of time-zone change to fully recover to pre-trip
status.
The rule of thumb to help prevent jet lag when heading in a
westerly direction is to go to bed and get up one hour later each
day for a few days. If heading east, do the opposite.
If jet lag does become bothersome, try the following.
" Avoid consuming any alcohol and caffeine for three to six
hours before going to bed.
" Limit exercise in the hours before bedtime. Heavy exercise
tends to rev up your blood flow and increases energy levels neither
of which is ideal when you’re trying to fall asleep.
" Try wearing comfortable earplugs and blindfolds when going to
sleep to help block out any disturbing nocturnal noise and light.