Jet Lag

Rapidly traveling across several time zones creates disharmony between one's internal body clock and the new external time. This not only causes problems with sleep/wake cycles but also influences mood and energy. Most people who travel, especially for vacation, find that jet lag can completely disrupt their experience. In most cases, it takes 1 - 2 days to rebound from every 2 time zones, and so a trip to Europe, for example can cause sleep disruption, low energy levels & flu-like symptoms for 1 - 2 weeks. Since such travels are very expensive, and the time spent during these trips at a premium, it would be wise to adapt to a protocol that would prevent jet lag from happening.

Because specialized light is the most effective tool for shifting circadian rhythms, light can quickly adjust one's rhythm to the new time zone. The best strategy for combating jet lag is to shift your body clock a day or two before leaving.

Traveling East

Use morning light 2-3 days before leaving. The number of time zones traveled corresponds to the hours needed to shift. On the first day, wake up an hour early and use the light for ½ hour to 45 minutes. This will shift your body clock up to three time zones. The next day(s) you need to awaken a couple of hours earlier and repeat this process.

Taking time-released melatonin in the early evening or late afternoon can also help accelerate this shift. Sleep schedules should also be adjusted each day. Upon arrival, any sunlight must be avoided before 10:00 am (by wearing sunglasses). When returning, one should use bright evening light for a few nights and avoid any morning light.

Traveling West

Use evening bright light for ½ hour to 45 minutes a few days before leaving, and use the light a couple of hours later each successive day. Each day you use light will shift your internal time up to three hours, and you can increase this shift up to six hours per day by taking melatonin in the morning. When returning home, one should avoid any bright afternoon and evening light while receiving bright morning light for a few days.

Airline Schedules at Odds with Jet Lag

Oftentimes, airline schedules make adjusting to new time zones very difficult. For example, most east-bound inter-continental flights depart in the late afternoon or early evening. Airlines serve dinner at the old time zone's dinner time, when passengers should be sleeping. Hours later, the in-flight movie is turned on, further exacerbating jet lag conditions, because passengers are watching the movie at 3-4 am according to the new time zone. When passengers arrive at the new destination, it is usually early morning, and any bright light, either sunshine or airport lights will cause one's body clock to move in the wrong direction, making it even more difficult to adjust to the new time zone.

The Best Flight Protocol

When flying east-bound, it is best to eat early, sometime between your current time zone and the new time zone. If you are leaving in the afternoon or evening, it is best not to eat the airline's dinner. Eating the airline's dinner will reinforce your body clock's old time zone because digestive hormones signal the SCN or body clock to maintain the old time zone. Eating on the airline's schedule will add 1 to 2 days to your jet lag.

East Bound Flights

Remember that you need to be adjusting your body clock 7 - 12 hours earlier, so any activity, whether eating, reading or watching a movie will disrupt your body clock. By shifting your body clock with bright morning light and evening melatonin 2-3 days before you leave, you should be able to sleep (or rest) during the flight.

Day of Departure

On the day you leave, you should still use bright light early in the morning.
By this time, you should have been able to go to sleep by 7:00 - 8:00 pm and waking around 3:00 or 3:30am.
If you are taking a late afternoon or evening flight, make sure to wear sunglasses (darker are better) when you arrive at the airport.
Avoid any bright light (Indoor airport light can be as high as 1,000 lux, which suppresses melatonin and disrupts the sleep cycle), and try to be as rested as possible on the plane.
If you are not driving to the airport, take time-released melatonin an hour or two before your flight. If you are driving to the airport, take time-released melatonin when you arrive (melatonin may cause drowsiness and is not advisable to take if you are going to drive).
Once on the plane, tell the flight attendant what you are trying to do so she/he will try to help you be able to rest and not interrupt with food/movie requests.
Turn the air conditioning to its highest level and use a blanket & pillow to try and sleep. This is important, as the cooler air will send a signal for your body clock to lower your body temperature, thus aiding the sleep process.
Use an face mask or sleep mask to block out any unwanted light.
Use ear plugs (earplanes brand ear plugs work OK, Bose white noise headphones are better) to block out background noise.

Day of Arrival

The morning you arrive, you should avoid any bright light before 10:00 am (wear sunglasses again), just to make sure that your body clock doesn't start to revert to your old schedule.
After 10:00, get as much sunlight or bright light as possible.
Try to remain as active as possible and stick with the new time zone's schedule. For example, if you arrive at your hotel in the mid-morning or afternoon, do not take a nap, even a quick one. If you are at your hotel and are tired, use your light instead. This will suppress melatonin and help wake you up.
In the evening, about an hour before you would go to bed, take time-released melatonin to reinforce the new time zone's schedule. You might need to take melatonin the next night, but should not have to take melatonin after that.
Again, lower the room temperature at bedtime, if you can.
Many travelers prefer waking a bit later while on an east-bound trip. This may help because you wouldn't have to adjust your body clock as much. If you are on business, you may want to schedule your appointments after 9:00am.
Staying up later at night, especially a few days before you come back will help make your return adjustment not as difficult.
If you do have a light with a universal power supply, such as the goLite, you should use it each morning until 2 - 3 days before you leave to come back.

Returning From an East-Bound Trip

Coming back from an East-bound trip is usually not as difficult as most people's body clocks tend to run slower anyway, and naturally delay to a later time schedule.

3 days before leaving, stop using morning light, and avoid bright light before 9:00 - 10:00 am.
Start staying up a half an hour to an hour later each night, and sleep in.
1 - 2 days before, get bright evening light. The first night, try to get bright light around 7 -8:00 pm, and the second night, use bright light around 9:00 pm for about 30-45 minutes. Be careful with light. Getting too much light in the evening or nighttime can cause sleep disruption and make your last day difficult.

Return Day of Departure

If flying in the early morning, remember to avoid any bright light before noon, and wear sunglasses.
If on an early morning flight, you may take time-released melatonin to help you sleep on the plane. If you are the one driving to the airport, wait until arrival before taking melatonin.
Once on the plane, tell the flight attendant what you are trying to do so she/he will try to help you be able to rest and not interrupt with food/movie requests.
Turn the air conditioning to its highest level and use a blanket & pillow to try and sleep. This is important, as the cooler air will send a signal for your body clock to lower your body temperature, thus aiding the sleep process.
Use an face mask or sleep mask to block out any unwanted light.
Use ear plugs (earplanes brand ear plugs work OK, Bose white noise headphones are better) to block out background noise.
If leaving on a late afternoon or evening flight, you may want to sleep in as long as possible.
If melatonin doesn't cause too much drowsiness, you may wish to take time-released melatonin in the morning time.
Wear sunglasses and avoid any bright light before 4:00 pm.
If taking a late afternoon or evening flight, you may stay active and awake during the flight.
Upon arrival, avoid mooring light before 9:00 am and use bright evening light (around 7:00 - 8:00 pm) for a few days.

West Bound Flights

Receiving bright light in the evening time while avoiding morning light will shift the body clock to a night schedule. The shift worker must first determine when he/she wants to wake up, and receive bright light at that time. Care must be taken to avoid any bright light when coming home from work and going to bed. This schedule should shift the body clock within a few days.

Returning From a West-bound Flight

If you can use a light product, you may wish to start getting bright light early in the morning 2 -3 days before returning. Review the information for "East-Bound flights," as it is the same for returning from a west-bound trip.

Melatonin vs. Specialized Bright Light

Some may feel that taking melatonin alone would be sufficient when trying to shift their body clocks. However, the major effort in shifting body clocks is in suppressing melatonin, rather than producing more. When shifting body clocks, melatonin is mainly used to augment the shift that is produced by bright light.

goLITE™ is perfect for Travel

The goLITE® is the first effective device that allows you to use a jet lag prevention protocol, because it has a universal power supply (accepts 110-240 volts), and is small enough to take anywhere (The goLite is only 1" thick and 6" x 6"). Because the goLite only produces the specific bandwidth responsible for suppressing melatonin and shifting circadian rhythms, it is as effective as larger full-spectrum light boxes at a fraction of their size.

Easy Jet Lag Instructions

The above jet lag instructions are your best defense at preventing jet lag, however some people don't enjoy following a list of instructions, especially if they are on vacation. If you don't want to follow this regimen, you can have moderate relief by following these instructions:

Day of arrival: Use sunglasses and avoid any bright light until 10:00 am for the first couple of days.
After 10:00 am, get as much bright specialized light as possible during the day in order to suppress melatonin.
Try not to nap and stay awake until bedtime in the new time zone. After the first few days, you should be able to get bright light before 10:00 am.
If you are afraid you won't be able to fall asleep when you are supposed to, take time-released melatonin an hour before you are supposed to go to bed.
If you awaken too early, take a regular melatonin (not time-released) tablet. 3 mg's is fine.
When you come home, follow the east or westbound arrival instructions.

Remember: Even with these easy guidelines, you will experience some jet lag symptoms. It is also important to remember that most of the effort in shifting circadian rhythms is in suppressing melatonin and stopping the night time hormones from being produced at the wrong time of day. This is why specialized bright light is so critical, and because you need light when it is not available naturally, it would be wise to use an effective travel device such as the goLITE.