ONE of the downsides to going on holiday to exciting, tropical destinations is having to deal with the jet lag.
The first couple of days of a trip away can easily be ruined, as our bodies struggle to adapt to their new time zones.
GettyPilots and airline staff change their clocks before they fly to avoid jet lag (stock image)[/caption]
However, for those who fly for a living, jet lag is a part of everyday life – and they need to learn how to adapt quickly.
One airline pilot has explained the simple steps they take to ensure they aren’t affected by jet lag as much as others, enabling them to make the most of their job.
Fiji Airways First Officer Nicola Armstrong explained that the main highlight of her job is being able to visit a lot of different places, but admitted that jet lag sometimes makes it difficult.
She told Stuff NZ: “One of the best things about being a pilot is also the access it gives me to travel and see the world.
“I would say the hardest thing about being a pilot is that you don’t sleep in your own bed every night and you’re constantly adjusting.”
However, her trick is to adjust as soon as she possibly can, with some airline staff even starting the process days before they fly.
She added: “To help me adapt, I try to get on local time at the destination as quickly as possible.”
To help you adapt, there are tricks that can make your body feel like it’s already adapted to the time zone you’re heading to.
One of those is eating meals and sleeping at the times you will be once you arrive a day or two before you set off.
Someone who agrees with this method is Dr Deborah Lee from Dr Fox Online Pharmacy.
She said that gradually shifting your bed time before you travel will help your body adjust much quicker.
She said: “Change your bed time in line with your destination’s time zone.
“Gradually move your bed time earlier if you’re flying east, and slowly move your bedtime later if you’re flying west.”
Another airline worker, Cici (@cici.in.the.sky) said she changes the day before she flies, to make sure she’s on the right time zone ahead of her journey.
In a video on Tiktok, she said: “First, 24 hours before your flight change your time to the destination that you are going to.”
Other experts claim that eating has a huge impact on passengers’ ability to adapt to their new destinations, with fasting a potential way to alleviate jet lag.
Clifford Saper, a Harvard neurology professor, and his associates at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, studied in 2009 how avoiding food can impact passengers’ circadian rhythms.
Saper recommends a 12-to-16-hour fast before and during flights, which they claim could suspend or “reset” your internal clock.
Neurologist and sleep specialist Chris Winter said: “Sleep is secondary to food.
“So, try not to eat a whole lot, and when you arrive, wait until the first meal and then eat it.”
Mealtimes aren’t only likely to affect jet lag, with pilots under strict instructions for what in-flight food they can and can’t eat.
Armstrong explained that she and her co-pilot must have separate meals, while neither of them are allowed to eat the same thing as their passengers.
This is in case any of the meals are contaminated in any way, it reduces the risk of both of them getting sick while in the air.
She added: “We’re very lucky with Fiji Airways as the food on board is really nice.”
Meanwhile, these apps could also help you avoid jet lag when flying long haul.
And this retired Navy Seal said he has the perfect trick for dodging jet lag.
AlamyPilots aren’t allowed to eat the same meals as passengers in case they become sick (stock image)[/caption]