JET LAG: THE SILENT HANDICAP
Even if you are one of those men who require little sleep a night, when it comes to jet lag you cannot beat your body clock. But you can do several things to persuade it that the time dislocation is not so bad.
There are two basic approaches. The first is to minimise sleep loss and the second is to maximise the rate of adjustment to the new time zone. Executives who spend a couple of days in London and a couple of days in New York and a couple of days somewhere else are bouncing between time zones and have no hope of adjustment.
What is important for them is sleep: their performance depends on it. For this reason it is probably cost-effective to have them travel up the front of the plane.
After the long haul from Europe to Australia, many executives go directly from the airport to a meeting. They may not be conscious of it, but the minute they walk in, they are at a disadvantage. Out of sync and fatigued, their reaction time is slowed and their ability to concentrate impaired. They are not functioning at full capacity.
In commercial situations in which alertness is essential, jet lag is a silent handicap. Companies don’t appreciate fully the effects that jet lag can have on mental performance. With massive time shifts over a short period, the ability to think clearly under pressure is affected.
An executive who has been sufficiently comfortable to have some sleep in the past 24 hours is in a better position to perform than one who has spent a punishing time restless and cramped in a small space. Up front, there is enough room to stretch out, move around and put up feet to prevent swelling.
To reduce sleep loss, it is now common practice for executives to take short-acting benzodiazepines – usually temazepam (Normi-son) – which provide about 6 hours of sleep. Unlike the old drugs such as Mogodon and Serepax, these are less likely to leave them feeling groggy.
The jury is still out on the latest ‘wonder’ drug, melatonin. Despite extravagant claims about this hormone’s effectiveness in inducing sleep and overriding jet lag, some airline pilots and crews have been cautioned against using it because long-term controlled studies have not yet been undertaken. While short-term benefits have been observed, it is not known if existing conditions will be exacerbated by prolonged use of the drug. There are also concerns about the possibility of contamination and dosage inaccuracy in ‘over-the-counter’ versions of the product.
Melatonin is a hormone that causes cell changes that lead to a decrease in body activity and the gradual onset of sleep. As the environment darkens, the eyes send signals through the optic nerve to the pineal gland in the brain. In response, this gland secretes melatonin. While studies have shown that small doses of melatonin can hasten the onset and increase the duration of sleep, larger doses have been reported to produce excessively vivid dreams. To test the drug himself, one airline medical officer took it three times after long flights and had nightmares on each occasion.
The severity of jet lag is directly related to the number of time zones crossed and is usually worse after a flight to the east than a flight to the west. When flying east, you are going against the sun and the day is shorter. When flying west, you go with the sun and the day is longer, which suits the natural body rhythm better. Although some believe they experience jet lag on north-south flights, in reality it does not occur in such situations. What these people are experiencing is just the stress and discomfort of flying.
Jet lag is a general malaise that can encompass a range of symptoms. Some feel dazed, unfocused and listless. Some rejoice at the improvement in libido while others lament its decline. Many experience an unwelcome change in bowel habit. Accustomed to a regular post-breakfast evacuation, they are uncomfortable with the new lack of predictability.
Little things help to reduce jet lag. If possible, it is a good idea to plan stopovers or arrivals for times when you are more likely to sleep. Before flying eat less than usual and dress comfortably. Once on board, set your watch to the time of your destination, take off your shoes, drink lots of water, stretch, walk and eat little. Avoid alcohol and coffee because they can increase sleeplessness and dehydration. Dry air in the cabin does not dehydrate your whole body; it just dries mucous membranes. Some combat this with artificial tears and saline nose spray.
On arrival, begin adapting your body clock to the new time zone immediately. It’s a matter of when in Rome… If it is daytime, go for a walk outside and expose your eyes to sunlight. Don’t nap, because that will mislead your body into behaving as if it is night-time. Rather, force yourself to observe social cues such as meal times, and stay awake until the local bedtime. Then, if you are not sleepy, rest in a quiet, darkened room and, whether you feel like it or not, start the new day with gentle outdoor exercise.
It is important to recognise the symptoms of jet lag. You know you’re jet lagged when you:
suffer daytime fatigue
can’t sleep at night
can’t concentrate well
have a dull headache
lose your appetite
have irregular bowel movements.
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