HEALTH : WAYS TO BEAT JET LAG BEFORE ON AFTER FLIGHT TIPS

Jet lag: it’s the bane of the time zone-crossing frequent flyer’s life. We take a look at ways to beat this unfortunate travel side effect

Our bodies are naturally programmed to do a number of things throughout a 24-hour period such as eating and sleeping, and these circadian rhythms as they are known, get thrown wildly of sync when we travel long distances at high speed. A major change in time zones can mean that our bodies get very confused indeed. This can lead to extreme fatigue, indigestion and bowel problems, loss of appetite, memory and concentration issues or a general feeling of being unwell.

Is one direction better than the other?

Yes, west is best, east is a beast. Generally speaking, people find that travelling east produces the worst jet lag. This is because travellers find themselves trying to get to sleep when their bodies are actually waking up and are then forced to get up at what feels like the middle of the night. To put it another way, we are better at dealing with a longer day than a shorter one. Studies have found that it takes a full day to recover from each time zone one travels through.

TIPS BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

• People with rigid schedules of eating and sleeping suffer the worst jet lag so if you always eat your dinner in front of East Enders and go to bed at 11 on the dot you’re in trouble. If are more flexible about such arrangements, you begin with a natural advantage.
• Tempting as it is to stay up all night before you travel so you’re tired and more likely to sleep, that’s a risky tactic. Better to be fully rested before you travel and get a good night’s shut-eye before you embark on your journey.
• Try and alter your sleep patterns before you go to more closely match the times of your destination. Set the alarm for 3am, get dressed, fire off a few emails, and go back to bed.
• Plan your flights so you arrive in daylight since you will feel more like staying awake and fitting in with your new schedule. Or only fly to places on the Greenwich Meridian. So, Ghana it is then.
• Try and build in a stopover, so your body has more time to adapt to the new routine.

ON THE FLIGHT

• Tempting though it is to take full advantage of the trolley service, the effects of alcohol at altitude can increase tiredness and also cause dehydration which will add to your woes upon arrival.
• If you are due to land at night, avoid caffeine-heavy beverages such as coffee, cola and energy drinks that look rather disturbing when served in a glass, since this will affect your sleep patterns. But do drink plenty of water on board to keep yourself hydrated.
• Leave the sleeping pills alone. They’re not worth it. They will do nothing to assist the jet lag and will just leave you feeling fuzzy when you land. Saying that, on a long flight, you should try to sleep. How about a nice camomile tea?
• When you get on the plane, set your watch to the time of your destination to get yourself psychologically aligned. You could do this be- forehand, but you run the risk of missing your bus/train/dentist appointment because you think it’s five hours later than it actually is.
• Move around regularly and do exercises to keep the blood circulating, which will make you feel better. A large brandy will make you feel even better.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE

• Start eating three meals a day in line with the new time zone, even if that means a small snack at 11pm which some people enjoy as a suppertime snack anyway, so that’s no problem.
• Get as much daylight as you can. Daylight makes you feel better unless you’ve been up all night.
• Do some exercise to boost your endorphins and stretch out some of the kinks from a long flight.
• Get as much sleep as you normally would in a 24-hour period — make up any shortfall with a snooze during the day if necessary.

AND FINALLY

• Invest in a pair of jet lag glasses. Jet lag temporarily causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a result of air travel across time zones.

LIVING THE HEALTHY WAY!

50-year-old Vijay Uttarwar, founder and CEO of Naturell India Pvt Ltd, simply refuses to give in to the sedentary lifestyle of this generation. He firmly believes that exercising and consuming a balanced diet is very important to stay healthy. Although he has not been able to give as much time for exercising as he would like to, he prefers waking up early in order to get his daily quota of exercise by making sure to go for jogs and runs near the Powai Lake in Mumbai. He also manages to make time for tennis and badminton tournaments with his friends and family on the weekends

EATING THE HEALTHY WAY

As a CEO who inevitably has unusual and long hours of work, Uttarwar is someone who strongly believes in maintaining work-life balance, starting with food-eating habits on the go. “I am aware of the needs of a balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle, and so ensure that my intake is 50 percent of proteins, 30 percent of carbs and 20 percent of fat in all my meals during the day. I try to substitute most of the proportion of carbohydrates and fats with proteins,” says Uttarwar. With his needs for attaining this balanced with a proportion of protein, carbs and fat, Vijay took the plunge in the manufacture of proteins-rich healthy food. He believes in simple home-cooked meals and ensures that he eats plenty of dals, vegetables and fish during the day to attain balanced meals. However, while he is on the go, he ensures carrying meal replacement bars, protein bars and snack bars from Rite Bite.

CONTROLLING HUNGER PANGS

It is true that no matter how much ever a person tries to control his junk-eating habits, he inevitably gives in to his 5pm hunger pangs due to a number of foods available in the market. “There was a time when I decided to take control of these hunger pangs and not give in to the high fat-containing little packets. I introduced Max Protein chips to the market that ensures people have the choice of a healthier option through these chips. They are also a guilt-free way in which people can pamper their tongue without forgetting to take care of their belly. I always carry them whenever I am on the go,” adds Uttarwar.

FITNESS MANTRA

Due to the growing concerns of obesity in the nation, Uttarwar inspires and encourages people to imbibe a healthy way of living as well. Being a farmer, he prefers to consume organic food.

Vijay Uttarwar is the founder & CEO of Naturell India Pvt Ltd. Naturell provides the finest nature-based products that help consumer adopt a healthier lifestyle. RiteBite Nutrition Bars is a leading brand of Naturell. Naturell India Pvt. Ltd is a visionary healthy lifestyle company. Naturell’s vision is to provide the finest nature-based products that help consumers adopt a healthier lifestyle.

By Mahalakshmi Hariharan