Congratulations to Rosemary Indra who not only commented the most but won the $10.00 Gift Card from Rogue Phoenix Press. I'll contact you via email, Rosemary.
Bobble Head Babes and the continuing Saga...
This is so much more than jet lag. I woke up at 11:00 last night and was unable to go back to sleep. I've been through two changes from Daylight to Standard time and if that isn't bad enough I spent twenty-eight hours no sleep on three different flights, Athens to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Vancouver, and Vancouver to Portland, then a drive home. My body truly doesn't no what time of day it is. I finally got out of bed this morning at 5:30, totally tired of watching the numbers on the clock stay the same.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the syndrome. For other uses, see Jet lag (disambiguation).
Jet lag
Jet lag, medically referred to as desynchronosis, is a physiological condition which results from alterations to the body's circadian rhythms resulting from rapid long-distance transmeridian (east–west or west–east) travel on a (typically jet) aircraft. It was previously[1] classified as one of the circadian rhythm sleep disorders.
The condition of jet lag may last several days until one is fully adjusted to the new time zone, and a recovery rate of one day per time zone crossed is a suggested guideline. The issue of jet lag is especially pronounced for airline pilots, crew, and frequent travelers. Airlines have regulations aimed at combating pilot fatigue caused by jet lag.
Hmm... how many time zones did I cross? That's why I'm so crazy and throw in two different daylight to standard switches.
The common term jet lag is used because before the arrival of passenger jet aircraft, it was generally uncommon to travel far and fast enough to cause jet lag. Propeller flights were slower and of more limited distance than jet flights, and thus did not contribute as widely to the problem.
Symptoms
The symptoms of jet lag can be quite varied, depending on the amount of time zone alteration, time of day and the susceptibility of individual differences. Sleep disturbance occurs, with poor sleep upon arrival, sleep disruption including trouble falling asleep (if flying east), early awakening (if flying west) and interrupted sleep with multiple awakenings and trouble remaining asleep. Cognitive effects include poorer performance on mental tasks and concentration, increased fatigue, headaches, and irritability, and problems with digestion including indigestion, changes in the frequency of defecation and consistency of feces and reduced interest in and enjoyment of food. Symptoms are caused by a circadian rhythm that is out of sync with the day-night cycle of the destination.[3] Jet lag has been measured with simple analogue scales but a study has shown that these are relatively blunt for assessing all the problems associated with jet lag. The Liverpool Jet lag Questionnaire was developed to measure all the symptoms of jet lag at several times of day, and this dedicated measurement tool has been used to assess jet lag in athletes.
Jet lag usually requires a change of three time zones or more to occur, though some individuals can be affected by as little as a single time zone or the single-hour shift of daylight saving time.[3] Symptoms and consequences of jet lag can be a significant area of concern for athletes traveling east or west to competitions as performance is often dependent on a combination of physical and mental characteristics that are impacted by jet lag.
2 comments:
Christine, I've been across the ocean many times (from Belgium to the USA or Canada, to Thailand in the east, to Peru and Bolivia).
I find the best way to fight jetlag is to ignore it. Try to sleep on the plane as much as you can, and then continue with the time of day you find yourself. I don't feel it any more when I travel continents.
Wow, thanks for the advice. I can't sleep on planes. Just doesn't happen.
Post a Comment