totty102

Hi

This is my first post on this forum but I have been an avid reader for a while.
Now my husband is going through the L1A visa process and myself, L2, it is all confirmed that we are moving to New York.
My husband will be moving out in May and I will follow on at the end of July/Aug due to work but I will still jet out for the odd weekend etc

I was just wondering whether anyone could offer any advice regarding the jet lag. Im not a big traveller anyway as my work doesnt require me to travel but I have found that Im quite susceptible to jet lag symptoms more so than my husband.
I have just come back from a house hunting trip for 5 days and I was a wreck when I got there and its taking me ages to get back to normal here....funny sleep patterns, mainly nausea and disorientation and generally feeling under the weather.
Ive looked on the net but wondered if any more experienced travellers out there had some advice. If I will be popping over for a few days during the next few months, I dont really want to be suffering too much

Many thanks
Charlotte xxx

Jaxbar

Welcome.
You may find the dietary supplement Melatonin helpful. It is not available in the UK but is cheap and easy to get in the US. A friend who has problems sleeping found it useful and jetlag is one of its uses.

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders...tonin-overview

Patrick Hasler

I have made far too many trans-Atlantic crossings in my life and there will no doubt be many more. I find that I never get jet lag crossing from the UK to here if I depart from the UK around lunch time, I also never get it if I leave the USA during early morning, arriving at Heathrow about 8.00pm UK time, if I fly over night I suffer severe jet lag for a couple of days.
Therefore ... try only daytime flights.

Jerseygirl

I never suffer from jet lag flying west from the UK...I take a mid morning flight...arrive mid afternoon.

The eastbound journey is the worst. I find the trick is to stay awake on the first day and go to bed at the UK normal bed time. I try not to fall asleep earlier...if I do it takes the best part of a week to adjust.

Marmalade

I wish I felt well on one leg of the trip, but I always feel terrible no matter whether I fly East or West. I know flying East overnight does me in. I am a terrible sleeper if not in my own bed, and well, you can imagine trying to sleep on an plane, pure torcher:curse:. Never had a wink of sleep either way. I have tried every pill imaginable, and nothing has worked, plus a tipple, exercising to feel tired ~ NOTHING. But, maybe that is just me.

Totty ~ I hope someone comes up with something that helps you and possibly me.

Also, I have a connecting flight from the Midwest, then fly from Newark to Scotland. Hate the trip, but love the destination

Juswus

agreed. No matter how terrible you feel, try to stay up and get into the new time zone as soon as possible on that first day.


But no matter what you do, sometimes it will hit you a couple of days later.

RoadWarriorFromLP

Funny, I have the opposite problem. I never jetlag going eastbound, but sometimes do coming westbound. I guess we're all different.

You will tend to feel worse jet lag if you live by a fairly strict routine. The less standardized your bedtime is at home, the better off you will be.

Jersey's latter point is spot on -- when you arrive, stay awake until at least late evening US local time, so that your sleep cycle matches the local time zone. Getting into a normal sleep routine is your quickest path to reducing jet lag. Eat a proper, light meal once you've arrived and settled in.

It also helps to begin thinking in terms of local time as soon as possible. Once you've boarded the plane, set your watch and starting thinking in terms of the US time zone. I find that an afternoon/early evening arrival time is optimal for long haul flights.

Also, avoiding caffeine for a few days before you fly should help. When you fly across many time zones, you should be sure to drink plenty of water, avoid sugary drinks and caffeinated coffee, and keep the alcohol and airplane food intake to a minimum.

Tarkak9

oh those were the days! getting into the routine of the new time zone on the first day is a must. Especially on the flight, drink lots of water because dehydration adds to the fatique. light meals and fresh fruit. All used to work for me!

penguinsix

Light plays a major role with jet lag, so I would strongly recommend (as others have said) trying to avoid an overnight and fly during the day. The morning flight from the US to the UK is excellent. Take off when you wake up, arrive in the UK, have dinner and go to bed (tired from your flight).

Water is very very important--drink quite a bit on the plane to fight dehydration.

I'd also recommend 'noise-cancelling' headsets. They cost a bit, but are worth their weight in gold if you are a serious flyer. It drowns out the jet noise to help make the trip easier (you'll absolutely freak the first time you use them, then take them off and hear the jet noise).

chicagojlo

You should find it gets easier as the weeks go by. My husband has done this flight way too many times over the last 3 years and he snaps right into the right time zone now. It just took a while.

Poppy girl

I think Patrick hit the nail on the head day flights either way, I hope you never go to Australia that will screw you up for sure lol..
Plus don't go to bed when you get here, when ever I fly to Aussie even if I land at 9am I make myself stay awake until early evening so sleep at the same time as everyone else.

AmerLisa

We are flying to the UK (first trip back in 4 years) and I'm dreading the thought of jet lag. We only have 2 very short weeks and no time to have jet lag - especially on the first leg of the journey. My MIL and SIL have both tried a product they bought here (Whole Foods) called something simple like No Jet Lag....anyway, they both swear it helps on their flights back from here (Seattle) to Scotland. So we may go and buy some and see how it does....but I don't think I would give it to our 6 year old....am worried how she will do with the time adjustment. We have a very full day of flying and by the time (3 flights later) we arrive in Scotland it will be late afternoon there. Should be interesting.

totty102

Thanks for all your replies.
i will definately try and get a day flight, although flying for a weekend may mean leaving Friday after work.
Theres a whole foods near us in NJ, so will have a look for the tablets.
Im willing to give anything a go!

Poppy girl

A good tip everyone is drink as much water as possible and no alcohol,the dehydration on the plane from the altitude is a big factor in making you tired and sluggish, those little plastic cups they give you have 2 an hour,it works take it from an ex trolley dolly

Tarkak9

reminds me of that line in Predator "I ain't got time to bleed."

I find going back is hardest in terms of jet lag merely b/c of being up the whole day before the flight, not able to sleep much on the flight and then having the whole day ahead when landing at H'row.. so in all, up for atleast 36+ hours straight. So, what I found over the years is that I will have on the flight a glass of wine during the meal (never beer), maybe something like baileys with the coffee - knock my self that way and sleep for the majority of the flight.. right as rain when I get to London. just made things easier from then on. Days before and after the flight I would just drink orange juice and water.

As a kid, I used to fly across the atlantic many times a year sometimes with my brothers or sisters... but we would always mess with each other when asleep, crumble up the peanuts and sprinkle them, chewing gum between shoulder and cheek, rice in hair (sometimes gum for revenge) tape silly notes on back and stomach and ofcourse, hand in warm water..(never worked). Overall, a sight to see. Children, boredom and an airplane...