Reducing jet lag on a trip from Thailand to Switzerland

With a head full of images of the exotic landscapes of Bangkok, or the historic city of Sukothai, and with a suitcase full of souvenirs, who would not happily fly home to Switzerland, were it not for the worry about jet lag? Not everyone will feel the effects of jet lag equally, and, usually, long haul flights from east to west are easier to handle than those from west to east, but once you reach your destination you can experience symptoms for up to a week.

Jet lag is a recent phenomenon, having only started happening since it became possible to fly in aeroplanes across multiple time zones within a few hours. This experience is exceptional for the body. It can be that the body ends up lagging by half a day. Take the case of the flight from Bangkok to Zurich. If you depart from Bangkok at 12.45, with a flight time of 11 hours, by the time you arrive in Zurich, according to the internal 'body clock' it is already almost midnight. However, the local time in Zurich is only 19.30. While the body is naturally already sleepy, it is too early to sleep. In addition to the symptoms of fatigue, sleep problems and difficulty in concentrating, are problems with digestion. After all, the body is in tune with its own internal clock, which runs on a roughly 24 hour cycle, and expects meals to be taken at certain times.

The intensity and the duration of the symptoms of jet lag can be effectively reduced. Although jet lag is a recent problem, science and technology have not been slow to respond. There have been some interesting discoveries about the 'body clock', which can be used in therapeutic treatments. The specialism 'Chronotherapy' studies the timings of the processes of the body, and how they are affected and influenced by different factors. It is already known that the temperature of the body varies from morning to evening, that certain metabolic processes vary with the time of day and that certain hormones are triggered for release to control body processes at different times of the day. There is the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which is the body's 'master clock', and there are, in addition, other internal body clocks. Outside factors important for these clocks are light and darkness.

These are important factors in the treatment of jet lag. Because the external factors of light and darkness are not corresponding with the body clock, this shocks the body and it has to react quickly. The time it takes the body to convert is estimated at one day per time zone. There is a way to help the body to adapt, using these factors. These include strong light, at more than 2500 lux, and darkness. Regular meals, and adequate hydration, are also important factors. Dehydration can make the symptoms of jet lag worse. It is important to drink water, not have heavily sweetened or caffeinated drinks, and to also avoid alcoholic drinks.

It is also to note the following tips to reduce jet lag on flights from Thailand to Switzerland:
• If you are only staying at your destination for only a few days, then it is better to maintain your normal routine. It is only worth converting to the new time if you are staying longer and it is useful to start familiarizing yourself before the departure.
• For about three days before the flight, expose yourself to bright light at certain times. It would be practical to have your own light therapy device with you. You should also go to bed about 30-60 minutes later each night.
• During the flight, you can set your watch to the time it is in the destination country and try to eat meals at the time they would be eaten in the destination.
• On your arrival, try to expose yourself to as much sunlight as possible in the evenings, or you can use a light therapy device. On the days following, avoid strong light in the mornings. Spend as little time as possible outside, or wear sunglasses. In the late afternoon and into the evening, you should expose yourself to as much daylight as possible, or use a light therapy device.

A good tip is to use the Valkee 2 Human Charger light therapy device, because, firstly, it is well suited to travel due to its small size and design, and secondly the treatment time is just 12 minutes. You could use it, for example in the afternoons, for a total of 4 times with two-hourly intervals. The Valkee allows light to travel through the ears, so you can be completely mobile while using the appliance. The integrated LEDs in the ear-buds are small, sturdy and therefore easy to transport.
If you carry out these tips, you should find that you reduce the symptoms of jet lag, and should definitely travel home more comfortably from 'the Land of Smiles'.