Top Five Myths
Is There A Jet Lag Cure?
Pilots are immune to jet lag. First-class tickets cost more because they prevent jet lag. Sleeping pills are the jet lag cure.
These are just a few of the myths associated with jet lag. Avoiding jet lag is possible, but there’s no magic jet lag cure.
Here are the top five myths about jet lag—and the truth behind them:
1. Pilots and flight attendants don’t get jet lag
Sleep researchers have found that constant travelers, including flight crew members, are more accustomed to jet lag’s weariness, but that doesn’t make them immune to it. According to a 1994 survey, more than 90% of New Zealand-based flight attendants needed a jet lag cure, saying they felt some combination of fatigue, energy/motivation loss, and sleep problems. Simply put, avoiding jet lag—regardless of amount of air mileage—doesn’t come naturally to anyone
2. Sleeping pills prevent jet lag
Some sleeping pills are sophisticated enough to help you get some shut-eye while mimicking natural sleeping rhythms, but they’re not jet lag cures. Avoiding jet lag requires more than sleep; jet lag symptoms (fatigue, headaches, nausea, anxiety, etc.) have many different contributors—and it takes an all-encompassing formula{ingredients} to address them all.
3. Flying business class/first class is a jet lag cure
While first-class travel may make you more comfortable, it’s not a magic jet lag cure. Avoiding jet lag is easier when you are relaxed, and first class’s perks definitely help. However, many jet lag contributors stem from the pressurized, dry-air nature of airplane cabins. These factors exacerbate jet lag symptoms such as dehydration, poor circulation, and headaches.
4. Wine helps you sleep and is a jet lag cure
One of the principle causes of jet lag is dehydration—and alcohol naturally dehydrates the body. While a glass of wine may make the in-flight movie better, it doesn’t help your body handle the cabin’s harsh conditions. At cruising altitudes, studies have shown that alcohol’s effects are magnified, dehydrating the body more than usual. Avoiding jet lag means not drinking wine; in fact, wine is the furthest thing from a jet lag cure.
5. Jet lag is only caused by time zone travel.
From the cabin environment to the amount of much coffee you drink to the effects of cosmic radiation, jet lag can occur regardless of how many time zones are crossed. A true jet lag cure is a multi-faceted approach, and avoiding jet lag means knowing the key contributors to jet lag and what you can do to overcome them.