![]() ![]() In: Clinical Sleep Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide for Mental Health and Other Medical Professionals. Irregular sleep-wake, non-24h sleep-wake, jet lag and shift work disorders. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. In: Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine. Shift work, shift-work disorder, jet lag and jet lag disorder. Managing travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes: A review and consensus statement. Circadian rhythms, disease and chronotherapy. Some therapies may interact with other medicines or cause side effects. If you want to try an alternative therapy, such as an herbal supplement, be sure to check with your health care provider first. Some people use exercise to try to ease the effects of jet lag. Don't drink alcohol when taking melatonin. Side effects are uncommon but may include dizziness, headaches, daytime sleepiness, loss of appetite, and possibly nausea and disorientation. Or ask your health care provider about the proper timing. Take melatonin 30 minutes before you plan to sleep. If you've flown west and need to reset your body's internal clock to a later schedule, take melatonin in the mornings in the new time zone until you adjust.Ī dose as small as 0.5 milligram seems just as effective as a dose of 5 milligrams or higher, although some studies show that higher doses are better at making you sleep. You can take it until you adjust to local time. If you've flown east and need to reset your internal clock to an earlier schedule, take melatonin nightly in the new time zone. The time when you take melatonin is important. Your body treats melatonin as a darkness signal, so melatonin tends to have the opposite effect of bright light. The latest research seems to show that melatonin aids sleep during times when you wouldn't typically be resting, making it beneficial for people with jet lag. Alternative medicine MelatoninĪs a sleep aid, melatonin has been widely studied and is a common jet lag treatment. Don't have caffeine after midday since it may make it even harder to fall asleep or sleep well. Caffeineīeverages with caffeine such as coffee, espresso and soft drinks may help offset daytime sleepiness. For each day on your trip, gradually shift your light exposure earlier.Ĭombining light exposure with exercise such as walking or jogging may help you adapt to the new time even faster. At night, draw the window blinds or drapes or use a sleep mask. ![]() ![]() During the day, dark glasses can help block out light when you need to avoid exposure. If you're crossing more time zones or traveling west, avoid bright light the morning of arrival but seek sunshine in the early afternoon. ![]() Try to get several hours of bright light exposure in mid- to late morning. If you've traveled east and crossed 3 to 5 time zones, try avoiding bright daylight first thing in the morning. For westward travel, delay your wake and bedtimes.Īt your destination. Also adjust your bedtime to one hour earlier each night if possible. Do this daily until you leave for your trip, waking one hour earlier each day. If you're traveling east, try waking one hour earlier than your usual wake time and get at least one hour of light exposure. You can start light therapy up to three days before traveling to help you adjust to the new time zone once you arrive. Plan ahead to determine the best times for light exposure based on your departure and destination points and overall sleep habits: Evening light helps you adapt to a later time zone after traveling west. Morning light exposure can usually help you adjust to an earlier time zone after traveling east. It's the most powerful natural tool for regulating the sleep-wake cycle. The medicines are usually only recommended for people who haven't been helped by other treatments.īeing exposed to sunlight helps reset your internal clock. Side effects are uncommon but may include nausea, vomiting, amnesia, sleepwalking, confusion and morning sleepiness.Īlthough these medicines appear to help you sleep better and longer, you may still feel jet lag symptoms during the day. You can take these medicines - sometimes called sleeping pills - during your flight and for several nights afterward as you adjust to a new time zone. Benzodiazepines, such as temazepam (Restoril) and midazolam (Nayzilam).Nonbenzodiazepines, such as zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, ZolpiMist), eszopiclone (Lunesta) and zaleplon (Sonata).Light therapy may be useful if you're a business traveler and are often away from natural sunlight during the day in a new time zone. Light therapy comes in a variety of forms, including a light box that sits on a table, a desk lamp or a light visor that you wear on your head. You use the light for a specific amount of time when you're meant to be awake. This involves exposure to an artificial bright light or lamp that mimics sunlight. One way to adjust to a new daylight schedule is through light therapy. ![]()
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