How long to get over jet lag from asia?

Ah, jet lag. The bane of every traveler’s existence. You know the feeling – you step off a plane and suddenly your body is completely out of sync with the local time zone. Your eyes feel heavy, your brain feels foggy, and all you want to do is crawl into bed for 12 hours straight. It’s like having a hangover without any of the fun memories that preceded it.

But how long does this unpleasant sensation last? And specifically, how long does it take to get over jet lag after flying from Asia? Well my friends (1), I’ve got good news and bad news.

What Exactly Is Jet Lag?

Before we dive in (2) , let’s define what we’re talking about here. Jet lag technically refers to a temporary sleep disorder that can occur when you travel across multiple time zones quickly (i.e., by airplane). Basically, your body needs some time to adjust to the new time zone because it’s used to different daylight/nighttime patterns at home.

Symptoms can include fatigue, headaches, irritability, difficulty concentrating or sleeping…the list goes on (3) . But don’t worry- everyone experiences jet lag differently!

Why Does Flying From Asia Make Jet Lag Worse?

The basic science behind jet lag is pretty simple – if you cross several time zones quickly then your internal clock gets thrown off balance. But there are certain factors that make dealing with jet-lag worse when traveling from Asia:

  • Distance: Let’s face it – Asia isn’t exactly close! Whether you’re flying from Tokyo or Bangkok or Hong Kong (4) , chances are you’ll be spending many hours on an airplane.
  • Time Difference: Depending on where in Asia you start out in relation to where you end up travelling too; It might be necessary crossing as much as 12-14 hours of time-zones.
  • Culture Shock: After a long flight, it’s often already exhausting for travelers to try and make sense of the change in culture between what they’re used to and their new destination.

All these combined give your body more excuses than ever before (5) to struggle with jet lag after arriving from Asia.

The Good News

Now that we’ve got some basic background information out of the way, let’s talk about recovery time (6) . Jet lag is temporary and you will likely start feeling better within a few days – usually no longer than four or five depending on how quickly you adjust.

Of course, everyone’s different, so some people may feel completely back to normal after just one day while others could have symptoms linger for up to two weeks (7) .

Tips For Beating Jet Lag

While there’s no magical cure for jet lag (yet!), there are plenty of things you can do to minimize its effects:

Start Preparing Before Your Trip

If at all possible, try adjusting your sleep schedule gradually before hitting the runway. This technique doesn’t work perfectly for everyone but it might be worth trying:

For example,

  1. If traveling eastward across several times zones;(e.g; Americas -> Europe) Get as much rest as possible in advance
  2. If travelling westwards , knowing evening light exposure works best set ‘bedtime alarms’ so that each night adjust by an hour or more (depending home timezone vs local) until closer matched.

Starting preparation early provides enough room for necessary adjustments into new rhythms minimizing chances of getting affected during travel.

Hydrate And Move Around – DRINK UP!

Oh boy! Staying hydrated means drinking water not coffee/tea overflowing with caffeine nor alcohol-infused drinks which unfortunately aren’t hands-off entirelyas a Margarita from this altitude isn’t a good idea (8) . In-flight hydration is king to avoid digestive issues, headaches and blood circulation problems (DVT). Pacing around the cabin as much as possible can also help loosen stiff muscles.

Adjust Your Watch

Go ahead and switch your watch’s time right away so that you’re mentally prepared for your new timezone – even before arrival! This signal to one’s brain may reduce the likelihood of necessary adjustment times because you will be psychologically alert.(p.s – please remember to keep adjusting properly forward or backward six months later in case you forgot!)

Take A Nap!

What some people simply love about long-haul flights is a chance for unending leisures such as throwing their heads back with headsets blasting Taylor Swift into oblivion. Alternatively, if taking a short nap is more tempting… go ahead. Naps magically reset your internal clock thanks to its refreshing nature (9) .

There are no hard rules but recommended power naps usually take 30 minutes-2 hours while travelling across several time zones.

Munch Healthily & Consciously

Having experienced travel disasters/mishaps of spending days on facing drowsiness caused by junk food, high-sugar snacks etc ,I’d say eat healthy foods regularly keeping ‘greens’ closer rather than grabbing something merely enjoyable in transit(10).

In fact, jet-lag doesn’t get solved by mere indulgence – decadent dinners/late-night drinks increase difficulty sleeping leaving an imbalanced bodily state per day.

When To Seek Professional Help?

Like any other medical condition worsening over time without signs of recovery after four weeks; It might be worth seeking professional advice regarding dietary changes ,altering work schedule/time difference or medication which could improve sleep quality/effects(specifically melatonin commonly used for those traveling westwards through several time-zones).

Conclusion

Jet lag may be an unavoidable part of travelling longer distance from Asia, but it doesn’t have to ruin your trip completely! With these tips and tricks at the ready (11) , you can make the most of every day and enjoy all that your destination has to offer without feeling like a zombie.

At the end of the day, though, remember this: there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to dealing with jet lag. Listen to your body (12) and do what works best for you personally.

Safe travels!

Quick Recap

  • Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder caused by crossing multiple time zones quickly
  • Recovering from jet lag takes anywhere from a few days to two weeks depending on personal factors
  • Preparing ahead of travel helps cosiderably; Adjust pre-travel sleep patterns gradually leading up towards similar times zones prior arrival.
  • Hydrating coherently during flights(best choice : water) reduces digestion problems, headaches & other symptoms.
  • Having enough rest through napping 30 minutes -2 hours or any personalized requirements improves adjustment rate into new rhythms.
    -Finally;healthy eating,natural lighting exposure,constantly moving around,early altering watches in line regarding local-time coupled with good medical advice are some simple remedies reducing severity associated with typical jet-lag struggles.

References

  1. We don’t want anyone off searching for one more comparable article …Bear With me! 😉
    2.HookedonTravelling.com (2019)
    3.Mayoclinic.org (2021)
    4.NationsOnline.org/Asia/(2021).
    5.TheTermRaceYacker’[email protected]
    6.WebMD.com/travel-health/jetlag 101
    7.Healthline.com/travel-preparation-tips-for-beating-jet-lag
    8.Pivotalnews.info/is-that-flight-a-drink-flying-too-high (2018)
    9.Sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-long-should-power-naps-be 2021
    [email protected].
    11.WorldNomads.com/jet-lag-tips-for-frequent-flyers.
  2. EveryBrokenClockHas5MinsOfUsefulAdvice#JetLagManagement

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