Meds & Jetlag

Ever tried pre-loading sleep to avoid jet lag?

I’ve been fairly successful at avoiding jet lag. A few rules to live by

• Time on a plane is best spent sleeping

• If you can’t afford business class, try “chemical business class”

• No alcohol on flight, it dehydrates me even more

Flying West. This is where sleep pre-loading is useful

• Start slipping: If you have the luxury of not having to get up early, delay your wake up times on the days before leaving

• No coffee on day of flight

• Take an over-the-counter, non-prescription sleeping aid (available at any pharmacy)

  • These are typically anti-histamines, they’re effect lasts fairly long (which is good when flying west)

  • Take once plane is air borne, not before (if you have work to do, delay taking until before meal is served)

  • Sharing is caring : Offer them to your seat neighbor, especially if you have an aisle seat

• get evening sunlight at destination to delay your inner clock

Result: You’ll arrive with a sleep surplus (having slept a normal night plus additional 4-6 hours of forced sleep on plane). Over the next few days, you’ll be waking up early, depleting this surplus. After a few days, you’ll be synched up with your destination.

Flying East

• Morning runs outside: the last two days before leaving, try to get up earlier than usual and head straight outside for a workout or run in the morning sun

• No coffee on day of flight

• Take fast acting, prescription sleeping pill (Ambien, Zolpidem, Dormicum, etc). Make sure you’ve tried this before you take it on a plane.

  • Take it as soon as plane is airborne. No exceptions

• At your destination: Avoid sunlight until 22 hours after you got up. After that, go running or work out outside in the sun

• The next few days, try to get outside for exercise right after you get up

Points to keep in mind

• Your inner clock can easily shift by about 1 hr/day

• Sunlight and exercise can help shift your inner clock. Timing is essential:

  • Exposing yourself to sunlight before your body’s temperature minimum (2 hours before you’ve been waking up) will slow down your inner clock. Do this when traveling west

  • Exposing yourself to sunlight after your body’s temperature minimum (2 hours before you’ve been waking up) will accelerate your inner clock. Do this when traveling east