East is east and west is west, that’s how the old saying goes. But when flying through different time zones within the United States and beyond, that numb, drowsy, deadhead feeling of jet lag can make travelers feel like west is east and south is north.
Jet lag is a common problem for people who fly for work or pleasure or both. That fuzzy head, droopy feeling of being zapped of all energy can come on quickly.
"Most people get jet lag," said Dr. Timothy Whiteley of Group Health in Everett. "We get used to the day and night cycle we are in."
Our bodies seem to react to the effects of long flights more when traveling from west to east, Whiteley said, and there is no definitive answer as to why. His theory, though, is that it’s harder for most people to get up unusually early than to stay up unusually late.
When a person who has flown through west to east time zones wakes up at 7 a.m. and it’s 4 a.m. where they came from, they are "drugged" by their own hormones such as melatonin. Whiteley said that perhaps that’s why the time change, springing forward, once a year has a tiring effect on many people.
When Aaron Kotyluk, 28, of Mukilteo flies within the United States to places such as Texas and Missouri for his job with Boeing, his jet lag symptoms are minimal. But the groggy, tired feeling really takes hold when Kotyluk flies nearly once a month back home from Japan. That’s west to east.
"Just when I’m getting used to it, it’s time to go back," Kotyluk said.
Kotyluk’s jet lag symptoms are among the most common: He feels fatigued and very tired. The morning after arriving home he feels normal, but a few hours later he’s tired again, and it comes on really fast, he said.
"The next two days I’m feeling a little foggy and slow," Kotyluk said.
The rule of thumb for recovering from jet lag is that it takes one day for every hour of time difference to adjust.
Some cures for jet lag sound more like old wives’ tales. Flying the whole time with eye covers on is dubious. No one is ever sure whether or not to take the mask off to eat or if you’re really just supposed to try to sleep the whole way.
Another popular one is to take a relaxant or have an alcoholic drink, or both. The consequences of this combination are dangerous.
"Typically if I have a drink I don’t go to sleep very well," Kotyluk said.
That’s true for many people flying long distances. Alcohol’s drowsy effect lasts only a short while and fliers may find themselves awake before too long. Alcohol is also dehydrating. It counteracts the good rule to drink plenty of water when on long trips.
One other idea is to take off your shoes and scrunch up your toes on the carpet. Whiteley said it is "a good calming technique." Tense the toes, then continue the exercise up to the legs and through the body to slowly relax.
Many long distance fliers take melatonin in pills form. Melatonin is a hormone made by the pineal gland that rises and falls with the body’s natural rhythms. Levels are higher at night, but lower in the day and during light exposure. Whiteley said the pills may fool the body into thinking that it’s night.
"It’s not a sleeping pill per say," Whiteley said. "It resets the rhythm."
Taking melatonin for jet lag is probably only a good idea going west to east to get travelers to sleep artificially early.
Whiteley points out that the long-term effects of taking melatonin is unknown and that it doesn’t help everyone. Risks are rare, but short spells of low sperm count in men have been reported. Others have felt cold and sometimes groggy.
Some experts suggest that those who fly through different time zones alter their sleep patterns before taking a trip. Gradually wake up earlier each day. By the time you reach your destination you may be more in sync with that time zone.
Another tried and tested idea is to stay up late after you arrive. Have lunch if it’s lunchtime, go to a movie, but don’t take a nap.
On your first evening at your destination, eat a heavy meal rich in protein and have a glass of milk, Whiteley said.
That worked for Kotyluk. He stayed up for about 56 hours the last time he came home to Mukilteo from Japan. His travel day from Japan via Los Angeles was 24 hours. He then stayed up all day with his family when he got home.
"The next day I felt great," Kotyluk said.
Reporter Christina Harper: 425-339-3491 or harper@heraldnet.com.
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