Let’s be real -- none of us are Nicholas Young and can fly first class to Singapore in a suite on a plane.
Jet leg is public enemy number one. Whenever we get to our destinations after a long day of traveling, nothing sounds better than a bed. But who wants to waste days of a vacation napping? Or decidedly not napping, but walking around feeling like you’ll collapse at any given second? Not I.
Scientifically, jet lag is the disruption of your internal clock, or circadian rhythm, which is responsible for keeping our body temperature, sleep cycles and hormones in check. So, yeah, the reason you feel more than a little off when you're jetlagged is because you are more than a little off.
"Within the brain, jet lag causes a disruption within a group of neurons which control the dream state of rapid eye movement sleep,” neurologist Tara Swart told CNN. “They find it hard to adjust to the new cycle and become out of sync with other neurons in the brain associated with deep sleep. Other symptoms can include fatigue, insomnia and nausea."
There’s also no way to know when you’ll get over the jet lag and spring back into step. It’s a Russian roulette of sleep deprivation.
The only “real” way to fight jet lag is to anticipate it -- working to reset your body’s watch in the days prior to a trip. But is that really feasible? We work, people! And you know you’re trying to take as little PTO days as possible, so you’re probably at the office right up until you’re due at the airport. There are a few small things you can do on your way to your next destination, though, to work through the jet lag a bit.