Dooley Noted: 8/6/2014
Tonight, I start my flights to a different continent on a different hemisphere – for the second time in five months.
I am heading to Melbourne and Sydney to teach NKT I and the very first NKT II in Australia.
The trip to Oz in March saw me with no jetlag on the way over. But in all honesty, I literally slept the entire way there.
The trip home saw me awake for an entire day upon my return, save 30 minutes.
This had me on a quest to prevent jetlag for my departure from New York Summer to my arrival in Australian winter – and vice versa.
So, I did my research and asked some colleagues on how to best prevent jetlag. I received excellent advice that I’ll be utilizing.
1. Set your world clock to where you’re traveling, and sleep to that clock as you would normally sleep.
2. Stay hydrated, preferably with electrolytes added to the water. Traveling is a stressor, and you need more water.
3. Stay as close to your normal schedule as you can. Continue your workouts, daily walks, and mobility drills, just as if you were home.
4. A lightbox can be very helpful. It helps to set your circadian rhythms when you return from a major time zone change. Northern Lights is a popular company.
5. All natural sleep aids might prove helpful. These can include Zinc Magnesium Aspartate (ZMA), valerian root, melatonin and 5-HTP. Some of these supplements have drug interactions, so talk to your doctor of pharmacy before co-mingling these supplements with your current medications.
I’ll let you know if the tips worked for this trip! Please use the tips at your own risk and benefit.
As always, it’s your call.
– Dr. Kathy Dooley