Archaeology Magazine - November/December 1985 - 65

PASSPORT
by Audrey

And
Win
let Lag
Fight
3 p.m. and 5 p.m., when their effect on
American pioneers trekking westward
your body rhythms is neutral.
by wagon train faced many obstacles,
* Monday
but jet lag wasn't one of them. Slow
The following day- Monday- "fast";
progress gave their internal body clocks
that is, eat as little as possible. But take
plenty of time to adjust to crossing time
care not to become famished. Again, eat
zones. Tbday, however,when we can easprotein for breakfast and lunch, but only
ily be transported across three or more
half -portions. Keep carbohydrates and
time zones in less than a day, we suffer
calories low; choose light soups and salthe consequences of jet lag: a dragging
dullness of brain, drowsiness, a tendads, fruit, unbuttered half slices of bread.
Such fasting, it's said, depletes the livency to walk into walls, insomnia, indier's carbohydrates and helps the body
gestion, nervousness, irritability, even a
clock to reset. Follow yesterday's advice
kind of leaden euphoria, to mention only
about caffeinated beverage drinking.
a few of the possible symptoms. This is
not the best of conditions in which to
* Tuesday
start your vacation, or a course of study,
Feast, as you did on Sunday. Again,
or to begin your volunteer work- or take
drink caffeinated beverages only between
charge of volunteers- at an archaeologi3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
cal site.
* Wednesday
It usually takes one day per time zone
Back to fasting on this, the day of your
crossed for your body rhythms to get in
flight. Avoid carbohydrates up to 6 p.m.,
sync with your new time and place. (Travas they bring on sleepiness. If you're
elers going northward or southward and
west, it's a good idea to drink
traveling
not crossing time zones may arrive tired,
caffeinated beverages (no sugar or cream )
but not jet-lagged.) Most people find it's
only in the morning. If traveling easteasier to fly east to west (into longer
ward, only between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m.
days )han west to east (into a short day )
Dr. Ehret maintains that caffein and
because our rhythm is set for about 25
in beverages like coffee and
theophylline
hours, not 24 hours. But with a few days
tea speed the depletion of glycogen,
preparation and a bit of planning, you
readying your body for rescheduling.
can avoid or at least lessen the scourge
Late in your "day," quiet down, skip
of jet lag.
the in-flight movie, avoid bright lights
Experts point out that you have three
and conversation, and sleep on the plane
weapons with which to fight jet lag: diet,
until that pre-determined breakfast time
mental imagery, and light exposure.
-and no longer.: Dr. Ehret cautions
Here's how you can use them all to get
emphatically
against sleeping past this
your internal clock ticking to your destibreakfast time even if it means rising in
nation's time before you arrive there.
the middle of the night.
Plan your anti-jet lag diet
Have a high protein breakfast. If
Your first step is to determine breakyou've actually arrived by that time, simfast time at your destination on the day
ply start living your day as they are
doing at your destination. If you're still
you'll arrive. Then followthe anti-jet lag
in flight at breakfast time and can't count
diet developed by Dr. Charles Ehret of
on the airline serving what you need,
the U.S. Energy Department's Argonne
National Laboratory in Argonne, Illiplan ahead to pack a high protein "breakfast" in an insulated container- a sandnois. If breakfast time is, for example, 8
wich of cheese, meat, fish, turkey, or
a.m. on Thursday, and you'll be arriving
some time after that (or late the day
peanut butter .
Start living your day as though you
before), count four days before that hour,
were at your destination: stretch, turn
which would be the previous Sunday at
on lights, walk around, socialize. Eat a
8 a.m.
* Sunday
large lunch and dinner at your destina"Feast"- that is, eat generous portions
tion when the locals do; retire early, and
on that Sunday. Eat a high protein breakcontinue doing "as the Romans do..."
You can help your body reset its infast and lunch (omelets, cheese, eggs,
milk, fish, meat, beans, high-protein ceflight time clock by picturing what the
reals) to provide power all day and to
people at your destination are doing at
stimulate the body's active cycle.
any given time, according to Dr. Edith
Eat a high carbohydrate dinnerJurka, a New York psychiatrist who's
spaghetti (without meat or meat sauce),
taught many people to create these mental pictures. As soon as you board your
potatoes, rice, a sweet dessert- to help
you sleep. If you're a coffeeor tea drinker,
plane, set your watch to your destinadrink caffeinated beverages only between
tion's time, and imagine that you're on
How

Allen

that time. If it's bedtime at your destination, tell yourself it's bedtime and that
you're going to sleep for the night, not
just taking a cat nap. During your destination's daylight hours picture daytime
activities, even if you're in the dark.
Dr. Alfred Lewy of Oregon Health Sciences University has studied the effects
of daylight on a hormone that may be
the body's chief timekeeper. His advice
is, when flying eastward, go outside for
several hours in the morning before
flying. When flying westward, spend
time outside in late afternoon.
More tips
* If your flight is in the morning, go to
bed about an hour later than usual for
westward trips, and one hour earlier if
you're eastbound.
* Don't drink alcohol in flight ; it brings
on fatigue and interferes with the resetting of the body clock. This is probably
the most important part of the diet plan.
The decision to just sit and sip a few
martinis or Scotches and sink into pleasant oblivion on long trips is commonand looked upon as sophisticated by
some. But the truth is that alcohol
"knocks you out" faster in flight because
of cabin pressure. So there's a lot of truth
in the thought that "jet lag" for a lot of
people who are alcoholic beverage drinkers is really hangover.
* Do drink water to fight dehydration.
The air in flight can be as dry as desert
air, and heightens the distress of jet lag.
Caffein, sweetened soft drinks, and alcohol add to the problem because they are
dehydrating.
* After the flight, keep to destination
time, but try to get to bed early. Don't
plan much for your first day there. If
you're heading for an all-important conference, plan to arrive a day ahead.
* Remember: losing hours is harder on
the body than gaining them, so it's especially important to fight jet lag on eastward trips.
* Avoid smoking and eating big meals
on the plane. This only adds to fatigue
and body stress.
* Plan to move around the plane. Get up
and walk at least once an hour during
waking hours (helps prevent swollenlegs
and ankles), and try isometru exercises
in your seat.
* Use the diet plan again foAyoui trip
back. If you're going to be at your destination only a day or two, so that you
can't start your diet plan four days before flight, at least fast, and sleep only
until your destination's breakfast time,
and avoid alcohol.
Youcan send for a wallet-sized plasticcoated card describing Dr. Ehret's antijet lag diet plan by writing to: Anti-Jet
Lag Diet, Argonne National Laboratory,
9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL
60439. Youmight also want to read Overcoming Jet Lag, by Charles F. Ehret and
Lynne Waller Scanlon, Berkley Books,
200 Madison Avenue, New York, NY
10016 ($4.95).
1985 65
November/December

Archaeology Magazine - November/December 1985

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - November/December 1985