Scientists think they finally have a solution to jet lag – and say it’s all about what and when you eat

Every travel enthusiast knows the frustration of arriving in an exciting new location and wanting to explore it before being hit by debilitating jet lag.

Fortunately, scientists in the US think they finally have a solution – and they claim it’s all about what and when you eat.

They say consuming a single, larger meal early in the morning for three days after landing can cause head jet lag, though the older you get, the less likely it will work.

The experts agree that a walk in the sun is also a good tip, so combining this with the new advice can help fliers find the best path to recovery.

It is already known that one of the worst things you can do against jet lag is to refuse to adjust to your new time zone, such as going to sleep during the day.

The new study was conducted by experts from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, and the Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico.

“Having a larger meal in the early morning of the new time zone may help overcome jet lag,” said study author Yitong Huang of Northwestern University.

“Constantly shifting meal schedules or eating a meal in the evening is not recommended, as this can lead to misalignment of internal clocks.”

Jet lag is caused by disruptions of the innate biological clock in humans, called the circadian rhythm, which regulates when we become sleepy and when we are more alert.

Modern research has shown that circadian clocks are present in almost every cell and tissue of the human body, and can vary from organ to organ.

For example, the master clock in the brain is a group of about 20,000 nerve cells that make up a structure called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) that receives direct input from the eyes.

The brain’s clock can be reset by exposure to sunlight. Therefore, people suffering from jet lag are advised to enjoy the daylight in their new location instead of falling asleep.

More specifically, sunlight affects the production of a hormone called melatonin (produced by the pineal gland in the brain), which helps regulate sleep.

When we are exposed to sunlight, melatonin production is suppressed, keeping us awake during the day.

When the eyes receive light from the sun, the production of melatonin by the pineal gland is inhibited and the hormones produced keep us awake. When the eyes do not receive light, melatonin is produced in the pineal gland and the human gets tired

Meanwhile, peripheral organs like the stomach and liver have their own separate clocks that are recalibrated by food — namely what and when we eat.

Jet lag can develop when these clocks are out of sync with each other, the research team says.

“Conflicting signals, such as warm weather during a short period of light or nighttime eating — eating when your brain is about to rest — can confuse internal clocks and cause desynchronization,” says Huang.

For the study, the authors used computer software to study the interactions between multiple internal clocks with jet lag, and how this is affected by aging.

They built a model consisting of two ‘oscillators’ stacked on top of each other – one representing the clock controlled by sunlight and the other representing the clock controlled by food.

Using this model, the team was able to investigate how such a coupled system can be disrupted and what makes the effect worse.

The results suggested that consuming one meal a day in the early morning for the first three days — but with three times the amount of food — is the best option.

“Of the types of meal schedules we compared (equal meals, dinner at night, eating on the old schedule), one schedule with a strong input in the morning was better than the others for promoting recovery from jet lag,” Huang said. to Mail Online.

However, aging results in weaker signals between circadian clocks and lower sensitivity to light, the team also found.

The illustration shows the team’s mathematical model. It consists of two populations of coupled oscillators, with one population representing the central clock in the brain, influenced by light, and the other population representing a peripheral clock, influenced by food. Each white circle represents a cell

This means that older people with jet lag after a long flight may need more days to recover than younger people.

The authors plan to explore the other side of the equation and identify the factors that result in more resilient internal clocks.

Such discoveries could result in recommendations to avoid jet lag altogether, or to keep the circadian system healthy well into old age.

The team admits that little is known about how the body’s various internal clocks affect each other, though they refer to the brain as the “central clock” because it coordinates all other clocks.

“Experimental data clearly demonstrate a hierarchical network of clocks in mammalian animals and these clocks respond to different external stimuli,” they say in their paper, published in the journal Chaos.

“Therefore, a mathematical framework that incorporates both the central and peripheral clocks is needed to advance our knowledge of circadian rhythms.”

TIPS TO PREVENT AND TREAT JET LAG

Sleep specialist Dr Yu Sun Bin from the University of Sydney says long-distance travelers can reduce their alcohol intake to help prevent severe jet lag (stock image)

GO FOR A WALK

Taking a walk in the sun is better than taking a nap at fighting jet lag, according to a 2019 airline study.

Fatigue specialists from Qantas and the University of Sydney at the Charles Perkins Center have released their findings on how passengers cope with long, overseas flights.

Specialist sleep researcher Dr Yu Sun Bin, from the university team, said less than half of Qantas passengers surveyed took a walk outside after arriving at their destination.

“We know that going outside for sunlight at the destination is one of the most important strategies for synchronizing the biological clock, but only 47 percent of passengers have made the effort to do so,” she said.

Sleep experts recommend getting outside after a long flight to allow a traveler to adjust to a new time zone.

AVOID DRINK

Dr. Sun Bin also advised passengers to cut down on the amount of beer and wine they consume on a long flight.

“Drinking more than a few glasses of alcohol will make jet lag worse,” she said.

“It may help us fall asleep faster, but beyond a certain point it also disrupts sleep quality and causes dehydration.”

The NHS says: ‘Don’t drink too much caffeine or alcohol; they can make jet lag worse.’

EAT SUPER FOODS

Lemons have properties that help combat dehydration, bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium, which act as natural muscle relaxants, and cherries are a natural food source of melatonin, a hormone that helps reset the body’s clock.

Goji berries can improve sleep quality and fresh ginger is another source of melatonin, according to luxury hotel chain Swissotel.

If jet lag has affected your digestive issues, munching on a super grain, quinoa, may provide some relief.

…BUT DOES MELATONIN WORK?

Melatonin is a natural hormone released by the body at night to tell your brain it’s time to sleep — and it comes in tablet form as a method of jet lag relief.

According to the Mayo Clinic, melatonin aids sleep at times when you normally wouldn’t rest, making it beneficial for those with jet lag.

“As a jet lag remedy and sleep aid, melatonin has been extensively studied, and is now a widely accepted component of effective jet lag treatment,” says Mayo Clinic.

“Your body views melatonin as a dark signal, so melatonin generally has the opposite effect of bright light.”

However, the NHS says melatonin tablets are not recommended for jet lag because there isn’t enough evidence to show they work.

NHS tips for avoiding jet lag include drinking plenty of water, staying active by stretching, moving around the cabin regularly and trying to sleep if it’s night time at your destination.

When you arrive at your location, the NHS also advises adjusting your sleep schedule to the new time zone as soon as possible, setting an alarm to avoid oversleeping in the morning, and going out during the day to get out of bed. enjoy the natural light.