Jet Lag Patient Information Leaflet
What is jet lag?
Jet lag refers to symptoms arising from crossing several time zones, particularly following rapid travel.
What causes jet lag?
The circadian rhythm is the normal cycle of being awake during the day and sleeping at night and generally dictated by the cycle of daylight and darkness. When we travel, the differences in time at our destination cause a disturbance of our normal circadian rhythm.
Melatonin is produced naturally in the body- it is a hormone made by a part of the brain called the pineal gland. Basically, it is “nature’s sandman”- telling the brain and body that it’s time to go to sleep. Darkness triggers a natural release of Melatonin into the bloodstream, while daylight reduces Melatonin levels.
When we travel across different time zones, it may take a period of time for our melatonin production to adjust and help correct our sleep cycle,
Travelling across multiple time zones and travelling east to west tends to increase the effects of jet lag.
What are the symptoms of jet lag?
Common symptoms of jet lag include:
- Feeling tired or exhausted
- Difficulty staying awake
- Sleeping excessively
- Disturbed sleep
- Poor concentration
- Reduced coordination
- Irritability
- Changes in appetite
- Altered bowel habit (constipation or loose stools)- may be related to change in meal times or reduced fluid intake on flights
How to recover from or reduce the effects of jet lag
Once your body eventually adapts to the time at your destination, the jet lag symptoms usually subside but this may take a few days.
There are some tips that may help reduce the effects of jet lag:
- Adapting your schedule to the new time zone is critical- e.g. not sleeping until it is reasonably close to your usual bedtime in the new time zone
- Adapting your sleep schedule prior to travel may help i.e. sleeping towards your destination time zone times
- Try not to oversleep- set alarms accordingly to prevent this
- Exposure to daytime in your destination can help to reset your internal body clock
- Limit your caffeine and alcohol intake during travel
- Staying well hydrated
Are there any treatments or medications to help with jet lag?
The measures described above generally help to overcome the effects of jet lag.
However there are also medications that may help
- Melatonin tablets may be used for short periods to reduce the symptoms of jet lag
- A dose of 2mg once daily 1-2hrs prior to bedtime
- It should be taken for a maximum 5 days at a time
Other prescribed sleeping tablets may also be used as an alternative to Melatonin
Does melatonin have any side-effects?
Side effects of melatonin may include:
- drowsiness
- headache
- nausea
- dry mouth
- irritability
- abnormal/vivid dreams
