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Home Aircraft Airlines Airports Destinations Fidelity Programs Travel Travel Tech Travel Tips Air Safety Air Security Features Reviews NEWS News Center RSS News Center Business News World News Events FLIGHTS Flight Schedules Flight Status Travel Deals Travel Links Reservations Contact Us Site Map PUBLICATIONS Online Magazines Newsletters Business & Prof Books & eBooks ORDERS Subscriptions Order Center SERVICES Advertising Marketing Content Info Services Research Surveys CORPORATE About Us Press Center Contact Us	Jet Lag Tips Jet Lag Avoiding Jet Lag Best Times to Fly to Diminish Jet Lag Decision Making Jet lag affects travelers taking an east-west or west-east journey in which they change time zones. Biological rhythms have a program of around 24 hours, and jet-lag is the failure of the body to adjust its own routine to a clock that may, for instance, bring darkness and bedtime, ten hours earlier or later than usual. Eating, sleeping and excreting may all be uncomfortably affected, and mental reactions may also slow down considerably. The effects of jet-lag seem to be greater on eastbound flights than westbound. Reactions can be slowed for two days following a ten-zone trip westward, and for three days after a similar eastward trip. The short-stay traveler, such as the businessman continually on the move, is most at risk from jet-lag; the long-stay traveler on holiday has enough time to acclimatize. Babies of up to three months are the most fortunate, their eating and sleeping cycles seem to be unaffected. Recently, melatonin, the controversial hormone now widely available in the United States wherever dietary supplements are sold, has one indisputable role in the body: it, along with bright light , helps set the body's biological clock by acting on the pacemaker in the brain. One problem is that the use of melatonin to readjust body clocks is complicated, and if you do it wrong, it will not work. In fact, you are likely to make your jet lag worse if you take melatonin at the wrong time. Be careful and do read the dosing directions for one important fact: how much melatonin is in each tablet. If used properly, it should not eliminate but reduce the number of days you have jet lag; however, please consult your doctor before you plan to try it. Avoiding Jet Lag Plan ahead so that events will fit in best with your own home rhythm, whether these are for business or pleasure. Plan your flight so that you make life easy for yourself. Calculate the time difference between your home and your destination. On short trips, and when you are crossing more than two time zones but only staying at your destination two or three days, do not change your home schedule, act as if you never left, you will be much better off during the trip and especially upon your return home. For a few days before your journey, start going to bed an hour earlier or later each night, depending whether you are traveling east or west. Rise an hour earlier or later each morning. Adjust your meal times to the new schedule. Best Times to Fly to Diminish Jet Lag Time of the Day Departure Time /Arrival Time Departure Time 08:00-11:59 Good 12:00-17:59 Fair 18:00-21:59 Poor 22:00-00:59 Bad 01:00-07:59 Poor Arrival Time 08:00-11:59 Bad 12:00-17:59 Fair 18:00-21:59 Good 22:00-00:59 Fair 01:00-07:59 Poor The best time for an eastbound New York to London flight (other than Concorde) would be to depart from New York at about 09:00 and arrive in Europe the same day around 21:00 local time. You will be in London in no time (due to light traffic) from the airport and treat yourself to a light supper and go to bed at about midnight. The next morning you will feel little jet-lag compared to the traveler flying the usual night flight departing at 20:00 and arriving at 0800, even if he or she slept during the flight. Decision Making Some companies ban their executives from making major decisions within 24 hours of a five-hour time change. At least one airline instructs its crews to keep their watches on home time regardless of what time zone they are in. Do not make decisions when your body clock tells you that it is time to sleep. Schedule important decisions to fit in with your body clock. Make no important decisions until you have had at least one good night's sleep after your arrival. Do not make decisions if you have recently arrived from a different time zone and eaten a big meal or had alcohol to drink. Even after a good night's sleep, try to postpone decision-making until afternoon. We hope these tips have been useful. Contact us if you have any suggestions at: feedback@airguideonline.com	Travel Tips Travel Tips Air Travel Tips Jet Lag Tips Health Tips Tickets & Booking Travel Agents Car Rental Hotels Travel Checklist Baggage Tips Baggage Allowances Carry on Guide Dangerous Goods Check-In Tips On the Aircraft Smoking
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