Sleep Problems: Dealing With Jet Lag

How can you deal with jet lag?

You can't cure jet lag, but you may be able to reduce the symptoms using the hormone supplement melatonin and sleeping pills. Other treatments besides medicines have not been studied or have been studied very little, but they may be worth trying.

Melatonin and sleeping pills

Melatonin is a hormone that your body makes. It regulates the cycle of sleeping and waking. Normally, melatonin levels begin to rise in the mid- to late evening, remain high for most of the night, and then go down early in the morning.

Taking melatonin may help "reset" your biological clock.

Suggestions about times and dosages vary among researchers who have studied melatonin. Doctors recommend that you:

• Take melatonin after dark on the day you travel and after dark for a few days after you arrive at your destination.
• Take melatonin in the evening for a few days before you fly if you will be flying east.

The safety and effectiveness of melatonin have not been thoroughly tested. Taking large doses of it may cause sleep disruption and daytime fatigue. If you have epilepsy or are taking warfarin (such as Coumadin), talk to your doctor before you use melatonin.

The sleeping pills eszopiclone (Lunesta) and zolpidem (Ambien) have been studied for jet lag. They may help you sleep despite jet lag if you take them before bedtime after you arrive at your destination. You may have side effects of headaches, dizziness, confusion, and feeling sick to your stomach.

Other things to do

None of the things in the following lists have been proved to reduce jet lag, but some people find them helpful.

Before you go, and on the plane

• Be well rested before you start to travel.
• If you are flying east, go to bed 1 hour earlier each night for a few days before your trip. If you're flying west, go to bed 1 hour later each night instead. But if your trip will last 2 days or less, stay on your home time.
• Set your watch to your new time zone as you start flying. If it's nighttime at your destination, try to sleep on the plane. Sleep masks, earplugs, and headphones may help. If it's daytime at your destination, try to stay awake.
• On the plane, drink water to avoid dehydration. Avoid alcohol and drinks that contain caffeine.

When you arrive

• Try to change your schedule to the new time as soon as you can. For example, if you arrive at 4 p.m., do your best to stay awake until your usual bedtime. Get up in the morning instead of sleeping late.
• Think about light exposure. If you flew east, try to avoid bright light in the morning, and get light in the afternoon. To avoid light in the morning, stay indoors, such as by going to a mall or a museum. If you flew west, stay awake during daylight, and try to sleep after dark. This may help adjust your body clock and help your body make melatonin at the right time.
• Caffeine may help you stay alert during the day after you arrive. But it also may make it harder to sleep at night.

If you have an important event, try to arrive a few days early so your body can adjust to the new time zone.