If you’ve ever travelled to a distant country, chances are you suffered from jet lag. Jet lag makes it hard to sleep when traveling across time zones, especially when going east. The more time zones you cross, the worse jet lag can be. Everyone has an internal body clock that keeps track of day and night. When this clock doesn’t match your destination time, you might feel sleepy during the day or have trouble sleeping at night. This is jet lag.
Studies show that about 70% of international travelers experience jet lag either “fairly often” or “always”. While there’s no clear link between gender and age, older adults might have fewer problems with jet lag. Several treatments can help people adjust faster to their destination time; these are listed below.
- Melatonin – This natural sleep aid is available over the counter. A dose of 3mg to 5mg taken 30 minutes before bed usually works well, and regular tablets might work better than slow-release ones. You can take it for up to 5 days after arrival. While it has few side effects, check with a doctor before giving it to anyone under 18 years old. Consult with a pharmacist to make sure it is safe for you if you take other medications or have medical conditions.
- Prescription drugs – While sleep medications are available, we don’t recommend them for most people. They can cause daytime drowsiness, be addictive, and affect memory.
- Light therapy – This helps you feel more awake. You can spend time outdoors in bright sunlight or use a light box (SAD Light). For light boxes, 3000-5000 lux is usually enough. Natural sunlight is usually over 10,000 lux.
- Caffeine, either in tablets or coffee, can help an adult stay awake when needed. Check with a pharmacist to determine if caffeine tablets are safe for you, especially if you take other medications or have medical conditions.
Here are some tips to manage jet lag. Mobile apps can also help you time these treatments.
- Try to eat meals at local times, like having dinner at night in your new time zone. Avoid exercise right before bedtime.
- For trips less than 3 days, there isn’t much time to adjust. You might want to stay on your home time instead of changing to the local time, but this isn’t always possible if there is a large time difference.
- For trips longer than 3 days, try to stay awake and sleep at specific times. For example, if you are:
- Flying East up to seven time zones (like Vancouver to London), try getting up one hour earlier and going to bed one hour earlier each day, starting 3 days before leaving. After arrival, take melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor to make sure melatonin is safe for you.
- Flying east more than seven time zones (like Vancouver to Paris), seek morning light at your destination and avoid bright light in late afternoon or evening for the first few days.
- Flying west, try to stay awake using bright light until bedtime, but no later than 11pm. Melatonin isn’t usually needed unless you cross more than 12 time zones (like Vancouver to Mumbai).
If you use insulin, you might need to adjust your mealtime and bedtime doses. This depends on your type of insulin. Talk to your doctor or diabetes educator about this. Remember to check your blood sugar levels more often, as your diet will likely change while traveling.
Before starting any new medication or supplement, even if it’s natural, consult your doctor or pharmacist to ensure the product and dosage are safe and suitable for you. You can also reach out to your London Drugs pharmacist by phone if you have any questions while you’re away.
Enjoy your trip!
Diabetes Canada. (n.d.). Air travel. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://www.diabetes.ca/learn-about-diabetes/your-rights/air-travel
Cathy A. Goldstein. MD. (n.d.). Jet lag. UpToDate. Retrieved November 17, 2024, from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/jet-lag
