Managing Jet Lag on Long-Haul Flights: Advice for Travellers in Brampton

Brampton is a city with family and business ties stretching around the globe. A flight from Pearson to Delhi, Manila, Lagos or Dubai can cross nine, ten or even twelve time zones. It is not unusual to land in the early morning feeling as though it is the middle of the night, then spend the next several days wide awake at 3 a.m. and barely able to keep your eyes open at lunch.

That is jet lag: a temporary mismatch between your body clock and the local time at your destination. It is not dangerous for most people, but it can take the shine off the first days of a trip, affect your mood and concentration, and make medication routines confusing. With some preparation, you can reduce its impact and recover more quickly.

The team at Wellness Point Pharmacy, 115 Dufay Road regularly helps travellers prepare for long trips through the Travel Health Clinic. This article shares general strategies you can use for your next long-haul flight.

Why your body clock struggles to keep up

Your body runs on an internal clock that roughly follows a 24-hour cycle. It controls when you feel sleepy, when you feel alert, when you are hungry, and even fluctuations in body temperature and hormone levels. The clock is set mainly by light, along with meal times, activity and social routines.

When you fly across several time zones, the outside world suddenly shifts, but your internal clock does not. It adjusts gradually, often estimated at about an hour or so per day, although this varies from person to person. Until it catches up, you may experience:

• difficulty falling asleep or waking very early
• daytime sleepiness and low energy
• trouble concentrating
• irritability or low mood
• digestive changes, including poor appetite or constipation

Direction matters: east versus west

Many travellers find flying east harder than flying west. Flying west, such as to Vancouver or across the Pacific, effectively lengthens your day, and most people find it easier to stay up later than to fall asleep earlier. Flying east, such as to Europe, the Middle East or South Asia, shortens your day and asks your body to sleep before it is ready.

For a Brampton traveller heading to India or Pakistan, the time difference is large enough that it can be hard to tell which way your body is adjusting. Expect a few unsettled nights and plan your first days accordingly. Try not to schedule anything critical, like a major meeting or a long drive, in the first 24 to 48 hours after landing.

Preparing in the days before you fly

A little preparation can give you a head start:

• Shift your sleep gradually. If you are flying east, try going to bed and waking up a bit earlier for a few days before departure. For westward trips, shift later.
• Arrive rested. Many people stay up late packing the night before a flight. Starting a long trip already sleep-deprived makes jet lag feel worse.
• Plan your arrival. If possible, choose a flight that lands in the late afternoon or evening, so you can stay up until a reasonable local bedtime.
• Pack for comfort. An eye mask, earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones, and a travel pillow can make sleep on the plane more realistic.

None of these steps is essential, and busy families cannot always fit them in. Do what is practical.

Making the most of time in the air

Once you board, set your watch or phone to destination time and start thinking in local hours. If it is night where you are going, try to rest. If it is daytime, try to stay awake with reading, films or a short walk in the aisle.

Stay hydrated with water, and go easy on alcohol and caffeine. Both can disrupt sleep quality, and alcohol can increase dehydration in the dry cabin air. Eat lightly and, where possible, time meals to match destination meal times.

Long flights also bring a small risk of blood clots in the legs, sometimes called travellers’ thrombosis. Moving your legs, walking when it is safe to do so, and staying hydrated are helpful for everyone. People with certain risk factors, such as a previous clot, recent surgery, pregnancy or some medical conditions, should ask a pharmacist or physician before the trip whether additional precautions such as compression stockings make sense. Wellness Point offers compression stocking fittings if that turns out to be appropriate.

Using light to reset your clock

Light is the strongest signal for your internal clock. After arrival, getting outside in natural daylight at the right time of day can speed up adjustment. In general, morning light helps when you have travelled east, and afternoon or early evening light helps after travelling west.

In practice, try to spend time outdoors during the day after you land, go for a walk, and keep curtains open in the morning. In the evening, dim the lights and reduce screen time before bed. These simple steps cost nothing and work alongside any other strategies you choose.

What about sleep aids and melatonin?

Many travellers ask about melatonin, a hormone involved in regulating sleep. In Canada, melatonin is sold as a natural health product. Some people find it helps them adjust to a new time zone, but it is not suitable for everyone, and the right timing matters. It can also interact with some medications.

Prescription and over-the-counter sleep aids raise similar questions. Some can cause next-day drowsiness, confusion or unsteadiness, which is a particular concern on a plane, in an unfamiliar hotel at night, or for older adults. Taking a sedating medicine on a flight can also make it harder to move around and stay hydrated.

Before you buy anything, ask a pharmacist whether a product is appropriate for you, how it fits with your other medications, and how to use it according to the label. Do not borrow sleep medicines from friends or family.

Keeping your regular medications on track

Time zones can make medication schedules confusing. Should you take your morning tablet at 8 a.m. Brampton time or 8 a.m. local time? What happens to the dose that falls in the middle of the flight?

The answer depends on the medicine. For many once-daily medicines, a gradual shift is fine. For others, such as some medicines for diabetes, seizures, heart conditions or contraception, timing is more important. Rather than working it out on the plane, ask your pharmacist before you go. A medication review can be a good opportunity to plan a schedule for the trip and your return, especially if you take several medicines.

Practical tips include:

• keep medicines in your carry-on, never only in checked luggage
• set phone alarms in the time zone you are following
• carry a written schedule showing how you will transition
• bring a little extra supply in case of delays

Food, caffeine and exercise after you land

Eat meals at local times as soon as you can, even if you are not very hungry. Light, regular meals help your body settle into the new rhythm. Caffeine can help you stay alert in the morning, but avoid it in the afternoon and evening if you are struggling to sleep.

Gentle exercise, such as a walk in the morning or early afternoon, can boost alertness and help with sleep later. Avoid intense workouts close to bedtime. If you need a nap, keep it short, ideally less than 30 minutes and not late in the day, so you do not undo your progress.

The return trip home to Brampton

Jet lag can feel even harder on the way home, partly because you return straight to work, school and family responsibilities. Give yourself a day or two of buffer if you can. Use morning light, keep to regular meal times, and resist sleeping in late on the first weekend back.

Remember to switch your medication schedule back as well. Use the same plan you made for the outbound trip, in reverse.

If you commute on the 410 or 407 or work shifts, be honest with yourself about alertness in the first few days back. Drowsy driving is a real risk after long-haul travel. If you can, avoid long drives on your first day home, and if you feel your eyes closing behind the wheel, pull over somewhere safe. Children and older relatives can take longer to readjust, so a patient approach to bedtimes for the whole household helps everyone settle.

Plan your next long trip with Wellness Point

Jet lag is usually a short-lived nuisance, but it deserves a plan, especially if you manage medications that need careful timing. A conversation with a pharmacist can help you choose sensible comfort items, decide whether any sleep products suit you, and work out a medication schedule that crosses time zones safely.

Stop in at Wellness Point Pharmacy, 115 Dufay Road, Brampton, ON L7A 0B5, or call (905) 843-7155 to talk about your upcoming flight. Find our details on the contact page, or book a consultation through the appointment page. Bring your itinerary and medication list so the conversation can focus on your trip.

This article shares general wellness information for travellers. Talk with a pharmacist or other health care professional before using sleep aids or changing how you take any medication.