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.