Jet Lag and Insomnia

The emerging of budget airlines has change our lifestyle tremendously. Now we can travel by air more frequently and stand a higher chance of getting jet lag.

Jet lag is caused due to temporary disruption of bodily rhythms caused by high-speed travel across several time zones typically in a jet aircraft.

Let us do a simple test on jet lag symptoms:
- Eyes irritating and dryness
- lack of appetite
- dryness on lips and tongue
- headache
- unable to concentrate
- insomnia

Now let's see how we can minimise and address on jet lag.

1. Take a good rest before journey
Many people tends to stay up late before they take on flight so that they can sleep during the journey. This will actually makes you suffer from jet lag as your body is not able to adjust to the local time zone of visiting country. In fact, you should take a ample rest before the journey as it will helps our body to adjust gradually due to different time zone.

2. Brightness control
In general, our biological clock is affected by four major factors which are: 1) Brightness; 2) Sleeping; 3) Exercise and 4) Diet. Brightness is the most critical factor which affect our body biological system. By adapting to brightness, we can minimise the effect of jet lag.

3. Adjustment on diet and exercise
We should take some light meal before flight. Avoid heavy meal and oily diet as it will caused indigestion. Drinking adequate amount of plain water during flight is important due to dry air on the cabin. Beverages contains caffeine and alcohol should be avoided during flight.

4. Stay alert on low productive time
Most people will feel sleepy and tired easilly on 3 to 4 am early morning. If you reach the destination around 3 to 4 am, try to keep a clear mind and stay alert as you tend to makes more mistake as your concentration level is lowest during that time.

How to create a sleep friendly or conducive bedroom?

Many people have neglected bedroom is one of the important element which also contribute to Insomnia or sleep disorder. Remember our bedroom primary function is to let us sleep and rest and it is not a mini theatre or small office which distracts you from sleeping.

Now lets begin with the room environment itself. Is the floor dusty or dirty? Is there any unwanted stuff hiding at one corner waiting to be disposed? Your mind will be distracted from rest if you are resting in a dirty and untidy room. So clean up your room.

Is the street lamp glaring to your room? If so, please use the blind or curtain to block the unneccessary lighting disturb you. have you switch off all your electrical appliances like TV, radio, mobile phone or computer? The electrical appliances will emits some signals even in stand by mode.

Temperature of the room is another checklist which you should go through, i.e is the room too warm or too cold for you to fall sleep? Try to sleep in a room temperature which makes you comfortable and not just too cold or too hot which makes you awake.

Matress and pillow is important tools which we cant afford to skip. Are you comfortable with your current matress, how your back felt when you wake up? Do you prefer a hard or soft matress? Do you feel neck pain when you sleep on your pillow? Go through all these critical checklists before you can sleep comfortably.