The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has released its biennial revision of “the yellow book,” a health guide for international travel.
It’s comprehensive. The focus here is on Chapter 6: Jet Lag.
To minimize jet lag
- Avoid large meals or dehydration.
- Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption during the flight.
- Optimize exposure to sunlight following arrival.
- Break up the journey with a stopover.
To treat jet lag
- Seek bright light in the morning if going east, and in the afternoon when going west.
- Adjustment to the new time zone generally is faster when more time is spent outdoors during the first several days following travel.
- Outside daylight, even on cloudy days, is more intense than interior lighting.
- Light visors or lamps mimicking daylight have been proposed to stimulate normal circadian rhythms in travelers or shift workers.
- The Argonne diet alternates high- and low-calorie days before departure, but has not been formally studied.
Melatonin
- No results from rigorous studies are available.
- Limited evidence suggests melatonin is well tolerated, and doses of 0.5-5 mg may promote sleep and decrease jet lag symptoms in travelers crossing 5 or more time zones.
- Begin treatment 3 to 4 days before departure.
- Adverse effects include sedation or a disorienting “rocking” feeling.
- Travelers with epilepsy, or taking warfarin (Coumadin) or other oral anticoagulants, and children should consult with a healthcare provider prior to its use.
7/16/07 13:23 JR