Last month I traveled from New Zealand to England and back; on reflection of this journey, which I would consider traumatic, It got me thinking more about how could I "beat" jet lag. When we travel across multiple time zones in a short space of time the body's own circadian rhythm de-synchronises with the external light/dark cycle.
Many of us will at some point travel for a race or athletic event so getting back to normal as soon as possible is top of the agenda for performance.
There was a research study conducted in 2018 I found very useful and I have attached a link to the podcast with one of the authors.
I will highlight my key takeaways below:
1. Sun exposure, the primary method for adjustment is to be outside during daylight hours. This helps the production of melatonin (a hormone), which aids sleep.
2. Nutrition, research with human participants is limited but it is strongly suggested the feeding/fasting cycle matters. Fasting prior to breakfast (minimum 12hrs) is a general life recommendation and actually a good way to get on track to the coming timezone. Meal composition is also important with foods containing high levels of Tryptophan (i.e. turkey & chicken) helping boost serotonin levels that also increase melatonin. Another study found a high fat/low carbohydrate evening meal stimulates slow-wave sleep that is good for physical recovery.
3. Travel hygiene, carry hand sanitiser! Amongst all your fellow travelers it is so easy to pick up extra bugs especially with travel fatigue from the stress and disrupted sleep. Keeping well hydrated will help as air travel is known to dehydrate the body.
Link to full research study: Human Kinetics-Nutrition for travel
Podcast link: We Do Science-Nutrition for travel