The Jet Lag Thread

[J∆kk∆ls]

I just got back from LA and the jet lag was the same as when I flew to Brisbane from Cape Town. 

 

It took me a good three days before I was back on the bike! 

 

I suppose you could change your sleep pattern to fit that of the area you will be racing in 2 days before you leave. I have never tried this before and it would be difficult if you are working, but it might be worth a try! 

[b-rad]

Normally West to East kills me the most.

 

FWIW: The aircrews allow a day a time zone - FWIW. So if you fly to San Francisco on Sunday from London that same aircrew only flies back Thursday evening. That was Virgin.

 

That early morning flight from Jhb to CTN - the 6am -kills me as badly.

Not necessarily. Most airlines crew layover time depends on minimum layover rest periods and frequencies to that destination. Many airlines try and get the most out of their crews and have minimum layovers of around 24 hours or perhaps 48 hours on long haul flights. The longer layovers are normally as a result of frequency. The days of spending a week in some exotic location are not quite happening anymore.

[kosmonooit]

Excuse my ignorance and dumb question, but how is a prescribed sleeping tablet, taken once off, abuse? Do you mean it is on a banned substance list? I for one, could never fell asleep in a tent in a race village, at multi stage events, without the help of a prescription sleeping drug, earplugs, and sleep mask.

 

Quite possibly once off or very infrequent use will not lead to a problem but the thing is once you get used to dropping such a powerful chemical that plays tricks on your brain, you will be more open to regular use and this can lead to a big problems such as, inter alia, addiction. There can also be side effects.

 

Last time I looked OTC (over the counter) drugs dependencies were huge compared to any illicit drug problems, although the synthetic opiate situation seems to be catching up.

 

People used to use (or still use) sleeping tabs to turn off an LSD trip, which can go on for a long long time, and that often led to problems much more problems that the LSD itself. That's how I know about this because I used to do research and writing of education material in this regard.

 

Even when you are given sleeping tabs in hospital of wherever, think twice about using them, although it you are in ward you will have to put up with everyone else who has taken them snoring themselves inside out.

[Thor Buttox]

For me:

- definitely W - E is far worse

- about a day er time zone

- for first 3 or so trips his way were much better than lately. Had to resort to melatonin as I went to bed at 10pm Perth time and lay wide awake till 4am.

 

What would I change?

Would go to bed far earlier in SA for the 4 days or so prior, and start melatonin. Wake up progressively earlier till about 3am and get in a very bright room to do a work out if you can.

- hydrate more than you think on the plane

- have sleep regimen for you first day in Sydney - force an early sleep and an early rise, getting later if you can. Hich is what I did the first few times but then didn't manage the last few.

[SwissVan]

Off topic.

 

Bloem might only be a 40 minute flight, but it is on the farthest side of the planet!

Agree

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