September 29, 2007

We all are familiar with the term “jet lag”, I suppose. But even if someone is not, he must know about it. According to estimates, 94 per cent of the air passengers who travel between two different time zones suffer from this condition.

What is jet lag?

Jet lag is a strange condition in which a person feels fatigue, lacks concentration or become inactive due to travelling by air over very long distances. Many of the other body functions may become abnormal for some time. Jet lag may affect us in both ways, physically or mentally.

What is the cause of jet lag?

The most common cause of jet lag is travelling between two different time zones. This disturbs our body clock, giving rise to many of its symptoms. However, those people who don’t have a particular daily routine of eating, drinking and sleeping are less affected by jet lag; but those who have, are severely affected.

Another reason of jet lag is lack of air pressure and dry atmosphere in the aircraft which make several people suffer from dry skin and sore throat.

What are the symptoms of jet lag?

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “Factors like travel fatigue, change in diet routine, different climate and lowered immunity may aggravate the problem by lowering the traveller’s resistance and making them more susceptible to infection or even poisoning.” So different factors give rise to different symptoms and they may vary from person to person. Some of the common symptoms are:

• Fatigue and tiredness

• Headache

• Depression

• Lack of appetite

• Lack of concentration

• Diarrhoea

• Constipation

• Dry skin and dry eyes

• Ear ache

• Swollen feet

• Energy loss

• Broken sleep etc.

How long the jet lag lasts?

The duration of jet lag can be different for different people. A general estimate is that one takes as many days in adjusting as is the difference of hours between the two different time zones. For example, if the time difference between two zones is two hours then it is expected that his body clock would take two days to adjust himself with new surroundings. And as mentioned above, those who have irregular daily routine can adjust themselves in new time zone far quicker than those who have fixed daily routine. That is the reason why children are not the sufferers most of the time.

How can jet lag be reduced?

As jet lag has so many symptoms so there is no particular medicine for it. However, it can be reduced by spending some time outdoors during daytime, setting the watch according to destination local time and eating and sleeping according to it.