24 Apr Jetlagged
I have traveled all over the world in the last few years, an unexpected side-benefit of my full-time meditation-occupation.
A more expected side-effect of the global search for a permanent natural high? Jet-lag, or to list its lesser known names: ‘desynchronosis,’ ‘dysrhythmia’ and ‘dyschrony’.
Let me add one more by way of practical effect: ‘dysfunctionality.’ If I were an Apple Mac (“Hello, I am a Mac“), now would be a good time to plug me into a wall…
The online encyclopedia, Wikipedia, lists the symptoms of “jet-syndrome” thus:
- Dehydration and loss of appetite
- Headaches and/or sinus irritation
- Fatigue
- Disorientation and/or grogginess
- Nausea and/or upset stomach
- Insomnia and/or highly irregular sleep patterns; and last but not least…
- Irritability, irrationality.
How does one cope with jet-lag? Other than badly? As with many conditions medical consensus is far from certain, but there do appear to be a few general suggestions:
- skip sleep entirely for one night and one day and then go to bed at the new destination-area bedtime
- adequate intake of drinks and fluids helps to reduce the affects of aircraft-cabin dehydration and the disruption of your regular eating and drinking patterns
- set your clock to the destination time-zone as soon as possible, it can help in adapting to the new rhythm
- exposure to sunlight may also be a factor in resetting your body clock
So bar the passing touch of ill humour which jet-lag probably cannot in full explain, it seems that intercontinental travel has much to blame for my present “disruption of the light/dark cycle that entrains the body’s circadian rhythm.” And chanting “I am not the body, I am not the body” repeatedly during the Brahma-murta has done little to disavow me of this effect.
What I probably need is a good meditation—if I could but stay awake…
Related links:
- Wikipedia on jet-lag
- No Jet-Lag: a homeopathic remedy made by a New Zealand company and sold worldwide
- A short explanation of the Brahma murta and it’s role in traditional India yogic disciplines.
savannah
Posted at 08:59h, 25 Aprili always set my watch to the time where i’m going as soon as the plane takes off and upon arrival i stay up until it’s a reasonable hour for bed. of course that can mean i’m the walking dead the first day, but the next day, i am always perfectly acclimated!