It seems like a good subject, since it seems like jet lag was much to blame for the recent loss by the Seattle Seahawks. They traveled not once, but twice to the east coast inside of a week. You would think they could take a lesson from their hated foes, our hometown San Francisco Forty Niners. When the 49ers have back to back games back east, they STAY back east. For much of the first half of their recent crushing loss, the Seahawks looked to be sleep walking.
A new web site called Jet Lag Rooster, lets the traveler enter information like trip itinerary, normal waking and slumber times, and a shifting slumber schedule. From this data, the Rooster will calculate optimal times, to the hour, for seeking and avoiding light. A guy named Jay Olson up in Vancouver came up with this after a European trip where he had time zone issues.
It seems bright light is one of the key elements of keeping the body in sync with our environment. Light in the early morning makes us wake up. Light around bedtime makes us wake up later. From this, he developed an algorithm that helps us adjust to upcoming jet lag in a user friendly manner. It tells the user when to seek or avoid light to shift the body clock.
Shifting the “day time” hours before a flight is nothing new. This just makes it a little more scientific. Of course, you may still want to use melatonin*. The body is regulated by our circadian clock. It is out of sync when reaching a new destination. And as the Seahawks discovered, jet lag leads to fatigue, cognitive problems, and disruption of your bathroom routine. It also decreases athletic ability, and can also increase depression. For pleasure trips, this definitely decreases our enjoyment of the destination.
The customized jet lag plan tells the user when to use exposure to light, as sunlight works best. To avoid light, he recommends closing curtains, turning off lights, and using a sleep mask, Zorro. Of course, results vary by length of trip, with more success on shorter trips. But jet lag can be reduced on longer trips, perhaps not eliminated.
So, let’s plan a mythical trip to New Zealand just for fun.
Here it is: Your flight from San Francisco, United States to Auckland, New Zealand has little risk of jet lag. Optionally follow the guidelines below.
To reduce jet lag:
| Thu, 17 Jan 2013 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 17:00–21:00 | Seek light | |
| 21:00 | Go to sleep | |
| Fri, 18 Jan 2013 | ||
| 18:00–22:00 | Seek light | |
| 22:00 | Go to sleep | |
| Sat, 19 Jan 2013 | ||
| 19:00–23:00 | Seek light | |
| 23:00 | Go to sleep | |
| Sun, 20 Jan 2013 | ||
| 11:59 | Depart, set watch to 08:59 | |
| Mon, 21 Jan 2013 | ||
| 18:30 | Arrive |
Guidelines:
- Seek light means try to get as much light as possible. Spend time outside in sunlight (even if cloudy) or near a bright window. If dark out, seek bright artificial light, preferably from a portable light box. Intermittent light works, but try to stay in light for as long as convenient.
- Avoid light means avoid as much light as convenient and safe. You will probably feel tired and will want to sleep around this time. If sleeping, turn off lights and close curtains, or wear a sleep mask (even a cheap one will work). If awake, wear dark sunglasses if not driving, or blue-blocker sunglasses if driving.
Tips to reduce travel fatigue:
- During the flight:
- Drink a lot of water (rather than tea, coffee, or alcohol)
- Eat fruit
- Upon arrival:
- Drink a lot of water (rather than tea, coffee, or alcohol)
- Take a shower
- Take a 20-minute nap if needed
These seem pretty logical to me. Going east is totally different: Your flight from San Francisco, United States to London, United Kingdom has a risk of jet lag. Follow the jet lag plan below until you are sleeping well at night and alert during the day. Times after departure (after setting watch) are in the arrival city’s time zone (London, United Kingdom).
To reduce jet lag:
| Fri, 18 Jan 2013 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 06:00 | Wake up | |
| 06:00–10:00 | Seek light | |
| Sat, 19 Jan 2013 | ||
| 05:00 | Wake up | |
| 05:00–09:00 | Seek light | |
| Sun, 20 Jan 2013 | ||
| 04:00 | Wake up | |
| 04:00–08:00 | Seek light | |
| 11:59 | Depart, set watch to 19:59 | |
| Mon, 21 Jan 2013 | ||
| 04:00–08:00 | Avoid light | |
| 05:30 | Arrive | |
| 08:00–12:00 | Seek light | |
| Tue, 22 Jan 2013 | ||
| 03:00–07:00 | Avoid light | |
| 07:00–11:00 | Seek light | |
| Wed, 23 Jan 2013 | ||
| 02:00–06:00 | Avoid light | |
| 06:00–10:00 | Seek light | |
| Thu, 24 Jan 2013 | ||
| 01:00–05:00 | Avoid light | |
| 05:00–09:00 | Seek light | |
| Fri, 25 Jan 2013 | ||
| 00:00–04:00 | Avoid light | |
| 04:00–08:00 | Seek light |
The eastern trip is a little more complicated. It looks to me like most of us, even if retired, cannot spend this amount of time avoiding light, upon arrival in London. It is highly impractical, especially if you are on a business trip.
So, use their website, and see if it might work for you. In general, my rule of thumb is that it is always easier to “follow the sun.” I always have more trouble when heading east, to the East Coast, or on to Europe. I am also a firm believer in sleeping on any flight longer than 4 or 5 hours, even it means a chemically induced sleep, either sleeping pills or alcohol, your choice. Ir just let fatigue rear its ugly head!
*melatonin-is a natural hormone made by your pineal gland. It is inactive during the day, but activates when darkness occurs. Aha! You now have the secret to good sleep. Bright light inhibits the release of melatonin. Melatonin release decreases with age. Now you know why you get sleepy so much earlier in the winter.
And you heard about the lazy Italian? He got jet lag when he drove to San Diego (same time zone).
golfkat Travel Blog 
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