Jet Lag Due to Airline Travel

Jet lag (also known as Desynchronosis) due to airline travel is quite common among pilots, cabin staffs as well as travelers who are required to fly in a long haul journey across different time zones. Fortunately, this condition is not a long lasting disorder but a brief disturbance of the human body system. Common symptoms of central nervous system include fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, confusion and headache. Gastrointestinal disturbances could be of constipation, diarrhea, nausea as well as vomiting. It must be stated that jet lag is not a medical illness as it will recover in time with proper rest and sleep.
Jet lag occurs simply because the human body is unable to adjust to the sudden change in the difference time zone after the journey by flight. Many of the metabolisms and functions of human body are dependent on the role of biological clock with is played by the tiny part of brain called hypothalamus. Among the various body functions activated by it are sleep, thirst and hunger.
Travelers traveling north to south zone within the same time zone are likely to be spared from jet lag. However, travelers who are flying from east will “loose” time while those traveling in the opposite direction will “gain” time and they will cope with jet lag much better.
Melatonin is a hormone secreted by hypothalamus that promotes sleep and regulates the body rhythm. It plays an important role in jet lag following the change of time zone. Flying from a country to another country with the time difference of 12hrs will certainly take some time for the body to adjust. One may reach the destination in the morning while the country origin is already night time. Biological clock may be confused and release hormone melatonin, thus causing drowsiness.
Many people will just resort to medicines like sleeping pills and melatonin hoping to cope with the symptoms of jet lag. Little did they know that, under no supervision from medical health professional such practice may be deemed as dangerous. In fact, we should look into the non-pharmacological measures which could help in reducing or coping with the symptoms of jet lag.
Sleeping pills will not only further disrupt the sleeping pattern also making the normal sleeping hours go haywire. In addition to that, like many other medicines, it could interact with other medicines as well. Thus, all medicines should be used under supervision and caution.