Travelling is an exciting experience that offers an escape from our daily routines and familiar habits and cultures.

Longer vacations are often planned for the summer, when people are generally more free from work commitments.

However, choosing distant destinations can bring discomfort due to the body’s biological adaptation to a new time zone.

A common issue is jet lag, a temporary sleep disorder caused by rapid travel across multiple time zones, especially during intercontinental flights. The body needs time to adjust to new rhythms, leading to symptoms such as having trouble sleeping, fatigue, and irritability.

When crossing three or more time zones, jet lag symptoms can be particularly intense, requiring a few days to regain balance. These symptoms can significantly impact daily life, including insomnia, daytime sleepiness, headaches, difficulty concentrating, gastrointestinal issues, loss of appetite, and a general feeling of tiredness.

The severity of jet lag depends on the number of time zones crossed and individual characteristics such as age, average sleep duration, and chronotype, which indicates whether a person is a night owl or an early bird.

Eastward travel is usually the most challenging, especially for those who tend to go to bed late.

However, travel fatigue can be mitigated. To ensure your vacation remains a time of relaxation, there are some remedies to help you with the symptoms. The best way to combat jet lag is to gradually adjust your body to the new time zone.

In the days leading up to departure, it’s important to maintain a regular sleep schedule and avoid excessive fatigue and sleep deprivation.

For eastward travel, it can be helpful to anticipate biological rhythms by going to bed early, exposing yourself to morning light, avoiding evening light, and considering remedies like melatonin. For westward travel, it’s better to delay sleep, expose yourself to evening light, and protect yourself from morning light to regulate your circadian rhythm.

During east-to-west flights, staying awake and getting sunlight until arrival, especially if traveling during the day, is recommended.

Conversely, for west-to-east flights, try to sleep as much as possible using earplugs, headphones, an eye mask, and anything else that helps you isolate from disturbances.

Maintaining light exposure rhythms upon arrival is equally important. Finally, hydration plays a key role before, during, and after the flight. Avoiding excessive caffeine and alcohol will help prevent dehydration and further sleep disturbances.