Jet Lag {Science Project}

These past two science studies have been really interesting, especially since we've had to deal with some of this when we came to New Zealand¹, and in the experiences of people who've come to visit² us. Enjoy it like I did! :D

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First, we'll have a short explanation from MedicineNet.com about jet lag:

What is jet lag?

Jet lag, also called desynchronosis and flight fatigue, is a temporary disorder that causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a result of air travel across time zones. It is considered a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, which is a disruption of the internal body clock.

What are other symptoms and signs of jet lag?

Besides fatigue and insomnia, a jet lag sufferer may experience a number of physical and emotional symptoms including anxiety, constipation, diarrhea, confusion, dehydration, headache, irritability, nausea, sweating, coordination problems, dizziness, and even memory loss. Some individuals report additional symptoms, such as heartbeat irregularities and increased susceptibility to illness.

Children can also suffer the same jet lag symptoms as adults.

What is a time zone?

A time zone is a geographical region which has the same time everywhere within it. The world has 24 time zones, one for each hour in the day. Each zone runs from north to south in strips that are approximately 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) wide. (The actual width of each zone varies to accommodate political and geographical boundaries.) As the earth rotates, dawn occurs at a set hour in one time zone, then an hour later in the time zone immediately to the west and so on through the 24-hour cycle. Thus, in the U.S., when it is 6 a.m. in the eastern time zone, it is 5 a.m. in the central zone, 4 a.m. in the mountain zone, and 3 a.m. in the Pacific zone.

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How to prevent/minimize/overcome some of the problems coming with jet lag (namely, fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, constipation, diarrhea, confusion, dehydration, headache, irritability, nausea, sweating, coordination problems, and dizziness. I've included all the things I could find information about):

Fatigue from flying:

Pre-Flight:
Take steps before your trip to ensure you'll get adequate sleep on the road.

1. Plan ahead. Packing your luggage, finishing presentations, family affairs, confirming flight and hotel reservations, printing your boarding pass, getting to the airport on-time ... a little planning goes a long way. Leaving things to the last minute increases stress and may cause a late-night bedtime, the last thing you need. You may also want time your flight to arrive in the morning when losing several hours of sleep to get that light cue to help re-set your clock.
2. Be sleep-ready. Get a sleep kit ready to go and leave it in your toiletry bag. Ear plugs, eye covers, some of your favorite soothing music, perhaps a vial of lavender oil -- they will come in handy on the plane or in your hotel.
3. Exercise and eat right the day before your trip to give yourself an edge for some sound sleep. (More on that below.)
4. Get some sleep. Don't start off on the wrong side of the bed. Make sure you are well-rested before you start your trip. It will pay big dividends.
5. Dress for success. Wear something comfortable, loose-fitting, and layered. You never know if it will be too hot or too cold on the plane.
6. Stress less -- expect travel delays. It's just the cost of doing business and it's beyond your control. So let go. If your expectations are in line with reality, you will be much less frustrated and upset. It is a good time to read that book that has been on your nightstand for the last few months.

In Flight:

Long flights, poor seating, flight delays, turbulence, missed connections, recycled dry air, and the occasional rude or incessantly talking seatmate can all make for a less-than-pleasant experience. Here are few things you can do to help:

1. Get comfortable. Get a pillow or two and blanket. Bringing along a C-shaped pillow that fits around your neck is also helpful, as it keeps your head from bobbing around or getting a stiff neck. Take off your shoes or at least loosen the laces to improve circulation.
2. Drink water. This will help counter the dehydrating effects of the dry, recycled air. Carbonated beverages may produce excess stomach gas.
3. Avoid alcohol and caffeine. They are diuretics, causing you to go to the bathroom frequently. This, along with the dry cabin air, will increase your chances of dehydration. Remember that one drink in the air can be act like two on the ground.
4. Relieve ear pressure. First, never fly with serious sinus/ear congestion, whether from a cold, allergy, or upper respiratory infection. If you do, you may experience severe pain and damage your eardrums. To get on the plane, you must be able to "clear" your ears by gently but forcefully exhaling against a closed mouth and nose. Antihistamines and decongestants may significantly help. While on the plane, chewing gum may help equalize your ear pressure as well. Pressure problems are generally worse on landing. So make sure your ears feel clear before you descend.
5. Nap carefully. Consider a short nap on a short flight and a longer one on a longer flight. On longer flights consider waiting until the latter portion of the flight. So when you wake and feel refreshed just as the flight as about to end. Do not snooze too long unless you have a long flight. Napping more than 30-45 minutes may put you into a deep sleep, making you feel more tired when you wake up. Also, close the window shade, if possible, or don your eye covers. Ear plugs will also help a great deal.

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Constipation as an effect of jet lag:

If you travel really far-and-away, jet lag is a big one;

• Cause-and-effect: Jet lag kicks in when you cross one too many times zones. Once half-way or down under, your body wants to move its bowels while you are counting sheep, and refuses to relieve itself while you are suffering from jet lag throughout the day because of all other factors discussed here.

Next is the general unease with using bathrooms outside of the home, especially by women;

• Cause-and-effect: The anxiety over using bathroom facilities, either over the lack of hygiene, privacy, or both, has spoiled a good number of honeymoons for brides and grooms still embarrassed by bathroom anxieties in the round-the-clock presence of their newly minted significant other! Obviously, the same problem extends into all other aspects of lodging with companion(s).

Just as common is traveler's diarrhea, because it disrupts stools and leads to the inevitable constipation;

• Cause-and-effect: Most people believe traveler's diarrhea is caused by contaminated food or water. That is, actually, not always true, especially when your companions aren‘t affected by eating and drinking from the same source. Actually, the most common reason for traveler's diarrhea is eating at the wrong time. What happens next is explained by the next reason…

Acute indigestion is also a frequent factor, because it disrupts the entire chain of mouth-to-anus digestive functions;

• Cause-and-effect: After stuffing yourself senseless with all-you-can-eat delicacies, particularly at the wrong time, your stomach fails to digest protein fast enough, and undigested proteins begin to rot. The byproducts of proteins rotting are extremely poisonous, and cause violent expulsion of bodily fluids from both ends — vomit on top, diarrhea at the bottom. This happening, of course, disrupts regular bowel movements for a good while — it may take 3 to 4 days, sometimes longer, to restore a normal pattern, so it may seem like you are constipated. The worst thing you can do — and most do in this situation — is to take any kind of laxative, which may start yet another cycle of violent diarrhea with all that follows.

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Travelers Diarrhea:

Traveler's diarrhea is an illness that affects 20-50% of travelers from developed countries who go to developing ones. People travelling from developing to developed countries rarely get it. It is defined as two or more loose stools in a 24-hour period, accompanied by stomach cramps, nausea or vomiting. The term "dysentery" simply refers to the more severe cases, usually much more prolonged and with blood and mucus in the stools.

Traveler's diarrhea usually develops on the third or fourth day of a trip and lasts 36-48 hours if untreated, 24-36 hours if treated. It becomes more common the longer one stays in a developing country, or if the stay is in the tropics, especially in rural areas. Despite all the warnings against "drinking the water", it is actually much more likely to be spread by contaminated food. The most common cause is bacteria but viruses and parasites also play a part. So do simple things like jet lag, fatigue and a change of environment. The more severe cases (dysentery) are apt to show up later, even after the trip is over, and are more commonly from the non-bacterial causes such as giardia and amoebas or something like typhoid.

"Tourista" is actually caused by a wide range of bacteria and viruses. Most of these are killed by the acid in the stomach. The higher the "dose" of germs, therefore, the greater the severity of the diarrhea. And if those germs happen to be typhoid or cholera germs, that can be quite serious. The usual dietary precautions often do not prevent "tourista". They do, however, reduce its severity so that one can stay out of the hospital or the clutches of a doctor while his body gradually builds up immunity. The corollary of this, of course, is that anything that decreases gastric acidity (antacids, Pepsid, gastric surgery, etc.) actually may increase the risk of a severe case of traveler's diarrhea.

Because all of the treatment methods have some associated dangers and side effects, the experts agree that the best treatment is prevention. Frequent hand-washing helps more than people realize. Avoid fruit and vegetables which cannot be peeled. Cooked foods should be served and eaten hot. Buffets, sometimes even on cruise ships, are notorious for their bacterial content. And food from street vendors is anathema. Water should be boiled or bottled, not just heated (look out for pre-opened bottles which may just contain tap water.) There are filters and resins which are almost as effective and chemical treatments help some (see our catalog) but nothing is as effective as boiling. Alcoholic beverages straight from the bottle are safe but it is a myth that alcohol kills the bacteria in ice cubes. (Alcohol does kill germs--but only after 24 hours, by which time I would presume the ice has melted!)

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Headaches as a result of jet lag:

Headaches are a common and unfortunate side effect of air travel. Israeli researchers at the Bnai Zion Medical Center estimate that more than 100 million people around the world suffer from flight-associated headaches annually, according to Reuters Health. Many people have experienced airplane-induced headaches first-hand, and there's no denying the general discomfort that accompanies most flights. While this problem does affect a significant percentage of the global travel population, several measures might prove useful in reducing and preventing symptoms.

Common Causes
On top of the stress of organizing a trip and navigating the airport, airplane cabin conditions also contribute to triggering headaches. The Bnai Zion Medical Center study cites some primary factors that produce headaches during flights, including poor air quality. Airline cabins tend to circulate very dry air, which can dehydrate the body and generate feelings of malaise. Air quantity is another issue. The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide asserts that at cruising altitude, most commercial airplane cabins have lower-than-normal oxygen levels. In fact, blood oxygen saturation during commercial flights can be 5 percent to 10 percent lower than normal, and this decrease in oxygen supply to the brain can set off headaches. Furthermore, changes in barometric pressure and altitude also produce headaches. The human body usually reacts negatively to abrupt changes in altitude and the slightly less-than-normal air pressure in airplane cabins doesn't help either. Add in the cramped seating arrangements and roaring engine noise and it's easy to see why so many people suffer from flight-related headaches.

Common Symptoms
The Mayo Clinic's list of symptoms associated with airplane-induced headache include aching head pain, sensations of tightness across the forehead and temples, tenderness on the scalp and tension in the neck and shoulders. Additionally, travelers often experience related symptoms, such as nausea, lack of appetite, insomnia and irritability. The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide mentions ear pain as another symptom associated with air travel. Changes in cabin air pressure, particularly during takeoff and landing, can disturb the balance of pressure around the eardrum and the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat. This imbalance causes the painful pressure and occasional popping sensations felt in the ears during flights.

In-Flight Solutions
Air travelers can do several things to reduce their in-flight discomfort. The Mayo Clinic suggests taking pain relievers such as acetaminophen and ibuprofen to temporarily treat symptoms. Sleep-aids such as Ambien and Lunesta can help passengers sleep through their flights. The Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide recommends that travelers get up regularly to walk down the aisle to increase blood circulation. It's also a good idea to drink at least 8 oz. of water every hour and avoid alcoholic or caffeinated beverages during the flight.

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. . . And I will stop there. I covered the ones that our family experienced with our jet lag (basically fatigue and headaches), plus a couple more. I think that counts. This post is sure long! WHEW!

¹ This is a collection of the writings in the journal Mum has kept and sent to friends ever since we first came here to New Zealand. What I've linked to is the first of the many weeks of journal she has sent out over our almost three years of living here (WOW! Has it really been that long?). She usually posts the posts by month.

² Scroll down to "May 12, Wednesday" in the link, and you can read about our first ever overseas visitors in New Zealand--a mere six months after we first set foot on this beautiful land!

P.S. I think I'm enjoying this new html I've found for putting footnotes in! :D Makes it a lot easier, and (I think) it looks more professional. :D