Jet lag is a real nuisance! But did you know that it’s worse when flying ‘backwards in time’? That means that if you fly from Australia to the US, for instance, you will suffer from worse jet lag than when you fly home from the US. It’s all to do with your circadian rhythm. In the case of the US, depending on the time zone, the time is between 15 and 18 hours behind Australia (and also varies during daylight savings in the respective countries).
Symptoms of jet lag
When you have jet lag, your ‘body clock’ is all over the place. You might feel like sleeping when you should be awake and lie in bed completely alert when you should be asleep. It can also play havoc with your digestive system. Hunger at inappropriate times, carbohydrate cravings, indigestion, constipation and even lack of interest in food can all be issues.
Then there are the cognitive effects. You could experience dizziness, anxiety, irritability and poor concentration. You might get a headache and suffer symptoms of dehydration.
For most of us, especially if we are travelling for pleasure, the best thing we can do is take it easy, rest up, drink plenty of fluids and adapt to the destination time zone as soon as we naturally can. For business travelers, it’s not so easy, especially if there are critical appointments on the schedule.
The Australian Sleep Co. essential oils are 100% natural and non-pharmaceutical. Taking them with you on a trip across time zones is a great idea as they may help you relax, switch off and get to sleep.
