Recently i had to travel abroad and experienced jet lag for the first time. Here is some information about jet lag...
What is jet lag?
Jet lag is a temporary disorder that causes fatigue, insomnia, and other symptoms as a result of air travel across time zones.
What are other symptoms of jet lag?
Besides fatigue and insomnia, a jet lag sufferer may experience anxiety, constipation, diarrhea, confusion, dehydration, headache, irritability, nausea, sweating, coordination problems, and even memory loss. Some individuals may report additional symptoms, such as heartbeat irregularities and an increased susceptibility to illness.
Why does jet lag occur?
Jet lag occurs because the body of a traveler cannot immediately adjust to the time in a different zone. Thus, when a New Yorker arrives in Paris at midnight Paris time, his or her body continues to operate on New York time. It is ready to eat, not sleep. As the body struggles to cope with the new schedule, temporary insomnia, fatigue, irritability, and an impaired ability to concentrate may set in. Meanwhile, the bowels may malfunction in reaction to the changed bathroom schedule, and the brain may become confused and disoriented as it attempts to juggle schedules.
How does the body keep time?
A tiny part of the brain called the hypothalamus acts as a kind of alarm clock to activate various body functions such as hunger, thirst, and sleep. It also regulates body temperature, blood pressure, and the level of hormones and glucose in the bloodstream. To help the body tell the time of day, fibers in the optic nerve of the eye transmit perceptions of light and darkness to a time-keeping center within the hypothalamus. Thus, when the eye of an air traveler perceives dawn or dusk many hours earlier or later than usual, the hypothalamus may trigger activities that the rest of the body is not ready for, and jet lag occurs.
