Jet Lag

On my first trip to Europe, it took me several days to adjust. It was miserable. Prior to my second trip, I heard about Melatonin. The guy at my neighborhood health store gave me the directions and had me start it about 2-3 days before my departure to Europe. It worked! On the first night, I was tired at 11 PM, then wide-eyed at 7 AM. So the short version is: go the health food store and buy some Melatonin. They also suggest no alcohol! That's hard to do on a 12-hour flight with free alcohol! I blew off that rule, and it worked anyway! Everyone is different, you should consult with your doctor, especially if there is weird medical stuff happening with you.

Melatonin only works going east (to Europe). I haven't conquered west bound jet lag yet. Here's what usually happens on my return from Europe:

	I pass out as soon as I get home.
	Struggle to sleep in (usually getting up around 3 AM) .
	Go to Denny's for my first American breakfast.
	Eat again at about 7 AM.
	Eat again about 11 AM Then I'm done eating, I usually go to bed around 9 PM, which is three hours earlier than normal. I adjust to my normal routine after two days.

All of the rumors that you may have heard that Melatonin is an immune-booster or a fountain of youth pill are total BS!

Good Luck

Shooter's Ski Club has compiled the following essay concerning jet lag. So read on for all the details.

Jet lag is the disorientation in the normal biological circadian rhythm, which is experienced by a person traveling from one time zone to another with more than four hours difference. The greater the time difference, the greater the degree of disorientation.

Symptoms

During the time the traveler needs for his or her body to adjust to new eating and sleeping patterns, he or she may feel disoriented, tired, and "out of sync" with the new schedule, that is, sleepy during the day, awake at night, and hungry at inconvenient hours. The body temperature may also no longer be synchronized with day and night requirements.
It is possible to prevent jet lag.

The symptoms of jet lag are often made worse by overeating and by a high consumption of alcohol during the flight, which is known to cause dehydration. It is, therefore, advisable to drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids during a long flight.

Some people believe that jet lag may be completely avoided by abstaining totally from alcohol and eating as lightly as possible during the flight, preferably on the schedule of mealtimes in the destination time zone. Additionally, a diet developed by researchers at the Argonne Research Laboratory in Illinois is thought by some travelers to help adjust the circadian rhythms prior to flying by altering the intake of food and caffeine for several days before travel. There is no medical evidence to support this; people are advised to check with their physician before following the diet, since it could have detrimental effects on certain health conditions, such as diabetes.

Dealing with Jet Lag

Our stay in Italy will require adaptation to the new time zone (plus 9 hours). A mild sedative, prescribed by a physician, may help to ensure proper sleep for a few nights after arrival. The body will adjust its eating habits to conform with the new sleeping pattern.
Melatonin is the first and only effective remedy for jet lag, it is recommended for that purpose (it's especially effective for west-to-east travel, which many people find harder).
But evidence for melatonin's effects as an immune-booster and a chemical fountain of youth is lacking - popular books and articles notwithstanding. Because it is a brain hormone, secreted by the pineal gland, with very general effects on the body, I'm wary about recommending it on a regular basis over long periods of time.

You should be aware that the quality of melatonin products on the market is uneven, and many dosage forms are too high. A 1 mg tablet taken sublingually (under the tongue) is probably more than enough.