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Have you heard of desynchronosis? It’s another word for jetlag and comes from a Latin word meaning ‘unsynchronized’.
When we travel on a plane, we find ourselves in a less than optimal state when we arrive at our destination. We can feel ‘hung over’ after a flight and here’s why:
your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s internal clock, gets thrown off due to the plane travelling through time zones. The greater the country’s time differences from home, the greater the jetlag. • Your sleep is usually compromised due to these changes, plus it’s hard to get any kind of restorative sleep on a plane. • If on the other hand you wouldn’t be sleeping anyway, due to being on a short or morning flight, the hung over feeling can be attributed to the air pressure, air quality and lack of humidity making you dehydrated.
Your lack of movement during a flight is another key factor which can cause aches, cramping or even deep vein thrombosis. • Most of us just accept that this is part of air travel. But here are some handy tips and nutrition hacks to help you beat jetlag for good: Get lots of movement in before, during and after the flight. Walk around in the lounge area, do some basic stretches, just get some variety of movement in, other than sitting. Allow the kids to fidget and run around before boarding. • Hydrate before, during, and after the flight with plenty of water. The air on the plane will dehydrate you and a body water loss of just one to two percent can lead to a decline in physical and cognitive performance. Fruit and veggies can be helpful and avoid coffee and alcohol as these will dehydrate you more. • Reduce cramping with magnesium, with the bonus that it can also aid sleep and help calm those nerves. • Avoid cold and flu like symptoms with a Black Seed Oil supplement as it contains thymoninone, which will protect against the oxidative stress of flying and also packs a punch with high levels of B vitamins to help with energy. • As soon as you can, get exposure to the morning sun at your destination to help get your circadian rhythm back on track. If you can, adjust your bedtimes a day or so before you fly out, to align closer with the new time zones. • Watch out for when, how much and what you eat. It’s easy to overeat when travelling because you are tired and the body craves processed carbs and sugar for energy. Elevated blood sugars from highly processed foods and alcohol will also affect your sleep and recovery, so try to eat light, and look for the most nutritious foods you can find. Aim to align the eating pattern to your destination’s time zone during the journey if you can – plane food schedules will usually try to mimic the destination time zone, so start there.
Safe travels and have fun!
Disclaimer: Always consult your health advisor regarding any dietary changes, including the use of supplements.
