Travelers often suffer from jet lag when traveling eastward because when they move in that direction, they have to advance their clock, which disrupts their natural circadian rhythm and can lead to sleep disorders and fatigue.
Your body has a sort of internal clock that runs on about 24 hours: this is called the circadian rhythm. This clock regulates periods of wakefulness, sleep, the production of hormones like melatonin, and even your body temperature. Daylight significantly influences this natural rhythm, signaling when to activate alertness or, conversely, prepare for sleep. Your brain, particularly an area called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, receives these light signals and constantly adjusts your biological clock. When your environment suddenly changes (like when traveling by plane over long distances), your internal clock takes a while to adapt, hence the famous jet lag.
Our bodies naturally follow an internal rhythm of about 24 hours, known as the circadian rhythm. Traveling east shortens the day: we lose hours, and it's tough because we ask the body to fall asleep earlier than usual. Your body struggles more to move its internal clock forward than to set it back. Heading in this direction goes against the body's natural functioning, which increases stress, fatigue, and obviously, that notorious jet lag that hits hard.
Traveling east often disrupts the internal clock that controls our sleep cycles. As a result, we find ourselves tired, sluggish, and sometimes downright lost. Short-term memory, concentration, and thinking ability take a hit for a few days. Physically, it's no better: we feel heaviness, a certain clumsiness, and a general lack of energy. Even professional athletes experience a decline in their reflexes and endurance after flights to the east. In short, both the body and mind take some time to get back to their usual rhythm.
The severity of jet lag when heading east primarily depends on the number of time zones crossed. Crossing more time zones at once exacerbates the disruptions to the body's rhythm. Another factor is age, which also plays a role. Younger individuals often adapt better, while older ones tend to have more difficulties recalibrating. Physical condition also changes the situation: a fit person generally has an easier time coping with the time difference than someone less active. The exact timing of the flight, whether during the day or at night, can influence the ease or difficulty of readjusting upon arrival. Finally, exposure to natural light at the destination and the time at which you attempt to sleep or stay awake upon arrival greatly affect your ability to recover quickly.
To limit the effects of jet lag when traveling east, start by adapting a bit in advance. A few days before departure, go to bed gradually earlier than usual to help your body anticipate the change. When you are on the plane, set your watch to the new time of your destination right away to allow your brain to adjust mentally. During the flight, avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and even caffeine, as they further disrupt your biological rhythm. Once on site, expose yourself to natural light in the morning to help your body quickly synchronize its internal clock. Also consider engaging in moderate physical activity upon arrival to wake up gently and naturally. If you arrive very tired, a short nap can be beneficial, but aim for less than 30 minutes to avoid completely disrupting your sleep. Finally, if you find it really hard to fall asleep in the first few nights, consider taking melatonin occasionally, but preferably after consulting a healthcare professional.
Sports performance can decrease by up to 10% when experiencing jet lag from traveling east, which explains why many professional athletes arrive several days in advance at the location of their international competitions.
Blue light, emitted particularly by digital devices, can delay the release of melatonin, a key hormone for regulating sleep. Therefore, avoiding this exposure before going to bed significantly facilitates adaptation to a new time zone.
Complete adjustment to a time zone difference generally requires one day for each hour crossed towards the east. Therefore, a move of 6 time zones to the east could take about 6 full days to fully adapt.
Did you know that meals also influence your biological clock? Researchers have found that eating at the local times of the new place you are visiting helps speed up the adjustment to jet lag.
Yes, exposure to natural light adjusts our circadian rhythm by signaling to the brain when to be awake or to sleep. Morning exposure to natural light during eastward trips often helps to advance the biological clock more quickly.
On average, the body takes about one day for each time zone crossed to fully recover. Therefore, for a time difference of five hours, it will take approximately five days to completely return to a normal rhythm.
It is advisable to avoid alcohol and caffeine shortly before and during the trip to minimize sleep disturbances. Prioritize water to stay hydrated and choose balanced meals rich in protein and fiber before and after the flight to ease the adjustment.
Yes, targeted supplementation with melatonin can help the body adjust its circadian rhythm more quickly when traveling east. However, it is recommended to consult a specialist before use to determine the appropriate and optimal dosage for your situation.
Traveling east artificially shortens the length of the day, forcing our biological clock to advance more quickly. This change disrupts the circadian rhythm and makes adaptation more difficult, in contrast to traveling west, which naturally lengthens the day.
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