Avoid jet lag - when flying from Switzerland to the USA

To adequately prepare for jet lag, and to avoid such symptoms as concentration problems, headaches, daytime fatigue and sleep problems, it is important to take into account the direction of flight. The symptoms of jet lag can be more pronounced, depending on whether you are travelling to the east or to the west.

Flying from Switzerland to the US, the direction is westwards, that is, flying against the direction in which the earth rotates on its axis. In terms of times, for example, if you are flying from Switzerland at 10 o' clock in the morning, to New York, the arrival time is approximately 1 o' clock in New York; but, since you have 9 hours of flying time behind you, your body clock indicates it is 7 o' clock in the evening. It is precisely this inconsistency, of the internal body clock against external time that causes the many symptoms of jet lag.

For flights from Switzerland to New York, Philadelphia, Washington DC or Florida, the following tips will help. It is best to begin to adapt your body to the new time a few days before the flight:

• Adjust your meal times. Eat and drink slowly, at the same time you would be eating in your destination.
• Light plays a special role in the prevention of jet lag. Light, after all, affects the secretion of the sleep hormone, melatonin, in the body. Melatonin is formed when the body is surrounded by total darkness, and it helps to program the body to sleep. Strong pulses of light can prevent the production of this hormone. Therefore it is useful if you are exposed to increased light at certain times. For example, the Valkee 2 Light Therapy Device can be used two or three days before a flight.
• Go to bed at night around 30-60 minutes later than your usual time.
• During the flight, set your watch to the new destination time, and try to keep meal times to the new times.
• On arrival, sit in daylight in the evenings, where possible, or use the Valkee Light Therapy Device for increased exposure to light.
• In the following days, avoid exposure to light in the mornings as much as possible, so either stay indoors, or wear a pair of sunglasses. Then, late in the afternoon, and into the evening, use the Valkee Light Therapy Device up to four times, for twelve minutes each time, with a two hour interval between each use.

An important tip is to avoid stimulant drinks, and hard-to-digest meals, in the hours before bed. Treat your body with good care. Pay attention to sufficient levels of hydration, and, if necessary, take rest. If possible, avoid more strenuous activities and be generally cautious when taking part in activities which require a high concentration and attention demand. Do not underestimate the effects of poor concentration or daytime drowsiness and, if possible, avoid car journeys in heavy traffic.

How long the symptoms of jet lag last is related to the number of time zones that have been passed through. If you continue your journey on when you reach the US, to fly further west, then still more time zones will be crossed. This must be taken into account in your jet lag prevention plan. If, for example, you are flying from Basel to the west of the United States such as to Los Angeles, you will cross a total of nine time zones. It is useful to expose yourself to extra light in the middle of the day, and in the evening, rather than to have no light. This is equally true for destinations such as San Francisco, Las Vegas or Seattle.

Incidentally, the light you should increase your exposure to is relatively bright light, with intensity of more than 2500 lux. Ideally white light should be used, having all of the wavelengths of the colour spectrum of natural daylight, but with few, or none, of the infra-red, ultraviolet or extreme blue components. The advantage of the Valkee Light Therapy Device over conventional photo therapy lamps is not only that it can be easily transported in luggage, but the flexibility it offers. This robust unit is only a few centimetres tall, and very light. It allows for light therapy at about 10,000 lux, which is administered, not through the eyes, but through the ear canal. For this purpose, the Valkee is fitted with two ear-plugs, into which LEDs are built in. The plugs are available in different sizes. With the Valkee Light Therapy Device you have the same portability as an MP3 player. This makes it easy to facilitate four applications in the afternoons and evening, and lunchtime light therapy during the flight from Switzerland to the United States.