Author: Smart Wellness

Embarking on a long-haul flight is an exciting adventure, but the effects of jet lag can cast a shadow over the experience. Crossing multiple time zones can disrupt your body’s internal clock, leaving you fatigued, disoriented, and struggling to adapt to the new time zone. However, with strategic planning and evidence-based strategies, you can minimise the impact of jet lag and ensure a smoother transition to your destination. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore key tips backed by scientific research to help you beat jet lag and make the most of your long-haul journey.

Understanding the Science Behind Jet Lag:

Jet lag is a common phenomenon experienced by travellers due to rapid changes in time zones which disrupts the body’s natural circadian rhythm, and has both short-term and long-term impacts. As jet travel increases for commercial, military, and governmental purposes, it is important to understand the symptoms, health outcomes, and safety implications that jet lag can cause.

The most commonly experienced symptoms of jet lag include difficulty initiating or maintaining night time sleep, daytime sleepiness, decreased alertness, loss of concentration, impaired performance, fatigue, irritability, disorientation and depressed mood. These can lead to decreased energy levels and poor judgment which can affect performance in many areas including business meetings or on athletic fields due to poor reaction times. Jet lag also poses a public safety risk as it affects diplomats and military personnel who are heavily involved in global transportation. Long-term exposure to jet lag can increase risk of developing other chronic health conditions such as cognitive decline in aging adults [5]. Furthermore frequent business travellers may be at higher risk for cardiovascular disease due to disruption of sleep patterns [6]. Therefore, frequent air travel should be monitored closely with consideration given to minimising its negative impacts through preventive strategies such as proper diet modifications or making time for adjusting upon arriving at your destination.

Circadian Rhythms and the Internal Clock:

The circadian rhythm plays a pivotal role in various physiological processes. This includes its influence on sleep, body temperature regulation, eating and digestion patterns, and hormonal activity. Housed within the hypothalamus of the brain, the master circadian clock consists of a cluster of proteins known as the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the nation’s health protection agency, and the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), which supports fundamental research, the SCN functions as the core orchestrator of the circadian rhythm. In a healthy adult, this internal body clock resets, or “entrains,” approximately every 24 hours based on the natural cycles of light and darkness.

For a healthy individual, waking up in the morning, triggers a gradual increase in tiredness throughout the day. The culmination of this natural process results in heightened feelings of sleepiness in the evening, coinciding with the onset of darkness.

It’s important to note that an individual’s sleep rhythm is not static but undergoes changes and evolution over time. Adolescents, for instance, commonly experience a shift in their sleep patterns, often going to bed later compared to both younger children and adults. As individuals age, there is a tendency to adopt earlier bedtimes and wake-up times, reflecting the natural progression of the circadian rhythm across the lifespan.

To effectively combat jet lag, it’s crucial to understand the science behind it. The body’s internal clock, known as the circadian rhythm, regulates various physiological processes, including sleep-wake cycles, hormone production, and body temperature. When you traverse multiple time zones, your circadian rhythm struggles to synchronise with the new day-night cycle, leading to jet lag symptoms. 

Preparing for Departure:

– Adjust Sleep Schedule:

Start adjusting your sleep schedule a few days before your departure. Gradually shift your bedtime and wake-up time to align with the time zone of your destination.

– Hydration:

Begin hydrating well before your flight. Dehydration can worsen jet lag symptoms, so ensure you’re adequately hydrated in the days leading up to your journey.

Long trips away from home can lead to dehydration as travellers may make the conscious decision to reduce their water intake in order to avoid bathroom breaks. However, drinking plenty of water during travel is essential for avoiding jet lag or travel fatigue. Indeed, staying hydrated with enough fluids during a journey can help manage any discomfort caused by these symptoms. To make this easier, carry an empty refillable bottle such as a LifeStraw through airport security so it can be refilled once inside the terminal or at shops in-flight if available; otherwise, purchasing bottled water within the terminal would suffice. Also try to continue following sensible hydration techniques after you have arrived in order to ensure that your body has rehydrated sufficiently after any periods of dehydration due to the travel itself.

In-Flight Strategies:

– Stay Hydrated:

Dehydration is a common issue during air travel. Consume water regularly throughout the flight and limit your intake of caffeine and alcohol, as they can contribute to dehydration.

When traveling, it is very important to stay hydrated to have a successful and enjoyable trip. During long-distance travel, dehydration is common. Due to this, many travellers try to avoid drinking too much water in order to avoid bathroom breaks. However, this choice should not be taken lightly; proper hydration can help manage jet lag symptoms and travel fatigue so that you arrive at your destination feeling refreshed and ready to explore.

– Strategic Light Blocking:

Light exposure plays a crucial role in regulating circadian rhythms. Use light-blocking sleep eye masks and curtains during the flight to control exposure to cabin lighting and consider using a lightbox upon arrival to help reset your internal clock. Dreamlight’s acclaimed sleep-aid technology, brought to you by Smart Wellness. With Dreamlight, you can rely on cutting-edge sleep masks designed for optimal comfort and 100% light-blocking capabilities. Wherever you rest your head, these exceptional sleep masks promise a tranquil and rejuvenating sleep experience, making them an essential companion for your journey towards better sleep and overall wellbeing.

– Sleep Aids and Supplements:

While sleep aids and supplements can be helpful, it’s essential to consult with a healthcare professional before using them. Melatonin supplements, when taken at the appropriate time, may aid in regulating sleep patterns.

Arrival and Adaptation:

– Adjustment to Local Time:

Upon arrival, adapt quickly to the local time zone. Structure your activities, meals, and sleep according to the new schedule to facilitate faster adjustment.

– Exercise:

Engage in light exercise during the flight and incorporate physical activity into your routine upon arrival. Exercise can help regulate sleep patterns and boost your energy levels.

– Smart Use of Caffeine:

Caffeine can be used strategically to combat drowsiness, but avoid excessive consumption, especially close to bedtime.

Overcoming Jet Lag: Fine-Tuning Your Travel Experience

Mindful Nutrition:

– Pre-flight Nutrition:

Focus on a balanced diet leading up to your journey. Nutrient-rich foods can contribute to overall well-being and may positively influence sleep patterns.

– In-flight Nutrition:

Opt for light, easily digestible meals during the flight. Avoid heavy, greasy foods that may disrupt your digestive system and contribute to discomfort.

Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques:

Incorporate mindfulness and relaxation exercises into your pre-flight routine. Practices such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga can help reduce stress and promote a calm state of mind conducive to restful sleep.

Utilising Sleep Wearables:

Leverage technology to your advantage by using wearables like noise cancelling earplugs like Otifleks– Otifleks presents a reinvented approach to ear protection. Whether you’re diving into a pool, indulging in a relaxing shower, seeking a peaceful night’s sleep, soaring in an airplane, or striving for concentration in a bustling work environment – Otifleks offers earplugs tailored to your specific needs. Your auditory wellbeing is now in expert hands, providing a solution for every scenario life throws your way.

Otifleks Flier Flight Earplugs in particular, can help to reduce discomfort and increase sleep on a long-haul flight due to their unique micro-filter, which reacts to pressure changes in the cabin to alleviate discomfort. They can be used during take-off, flight and landing, to ensure a disruption-free flight experience. 

8. Post-Flight Recovery:

– Natural Sunlight Exposure:

Spend time outdoors and expose yourself to natural sunlight upon arrival. Sunlight is a powerful cue for regulating circadian rhythms and can help expedite the adjustment process.

Conclusion:

Mastering the art of conquering symptoms of jet lag involves a holistic approach that encompasses pre-flight preparation, in-flight strategies, and post-flight recovery. By incorporating evidence-based practices such as adjusting your sleep schedule, staying hydrated, managing light exposure, and embracing technology, you can optimise your travel experience and minimise the disruptive effects of jet lag. Remember that everyone’s body reacts differently, so feel free to experiment with various techniques to discover what works best for you. Safe travels and may your journey be as enjoyable as your destination.

References

1. Circadian Rhythm Sleep Disorders | Sleep Foundation

2. How to Get Over Jet Lag: 8 Tips and Suggestions (healthline.com)

3. Travel tips: Ways to minimize jet lag – Harvard Health

4. How To Travel the World Without Jet lag – PMC (nih.gov)

5. What is jet lag—and how do you get over it? (nationalgeographic.com)

6. Otifleks – Smart Wellness

7. Dreamlight – Smart Wellness

Sensory overload occurs when your senses are bombarded with too much stimulation. This can happen from a variety of sources, such as multiple conversations in a single room, bright overhead lights, or attending a noisy party. It can be difficult to focus and process all the information coming in at once, and everyone responds differently when faced with sensory overload.

The causes of sensory overload vary from person to person, but can include those who have difficulty in processing their environment. This may be due to their inability to filter out certain stimuli. Those with this issue may find they also need more time and space for their senses to adjust before they can engage in social situations without feeling overwhelmed. It is important to understand triggers that cause this response, so they can avoid them or learn coping methods that help manage future experiences with sensory overload.

Recognising Sensory Overload

Sensory overload is an autonomic response reaction in which an individual’s senses are overwhelmed and unable to process information properly. It can occur when too many stimuli enter the brain, creating a feeling of confusion and overwhelm. For those suffering from overstimulation, the world can become chaotic and overwhelming. Sensory overload symptoms vary from person to person, but some common ones include difficulty focusing, extreme irritability, restlessness and discomfort as well as an urge to shield oneself from sensory input such as covering one’s ears or closing their eyes.

Those diagnosed with neurophysiological conditions often experience sensory overload more often than others and it is important for parents of these children to be aware of how to identify it. Parents should keep an eye out for changes in behaviour that may signal sensory overload — typically irritability or excessive noise sensitivity — as well as being sensitive to their child’s feelings by offering quiet space or time outside when possible. Additionally, providing positive reward systems for good behaviours is beneficial in helping lessen the severity of sensory overload episodes. Learning what triggers a particular child’s sensory overload is the key to prevention and treatment.

Causes

Sensory overload triggers are when your senses become overwhelmed by the stimulation in your environment. It can happen when you are anxious or stressed, there is too much noise, things are too bright, or if you have trouble regulating yourself in social situations. Sensory overload can cause feelings of discomfort, confusion and disorientation. It’s important to recognise the signs of excess sensory stimulation, so that you can find relief quickly.

The most common cause of sensory overload is having too much input from your environment coming at once. This could include people talking loudly around you, lights shining brightly in a room or other intense stimuli such as textures or smells. When this happens, it causes a misfiring in the brain because it is trying to decipher all the information coming through simultaneously and it gets overloaded. Your brain then sends signals to your body telling it to flee from the overwhelming situation even though that may not be possible, doing so will help alleviate some of the distress associated with sensory overload. Taking time to relax and decompress after experiencing sensory overload is also important for calming down your nervous system and easing symptoms of distress.

Types of Sensory Overload

Sensory overload is a state of bombardment of the five senses that can be overwhelming for individuals. Making sense of the world around us through what we experience through our senses, gives us a feeling of safety, comfort, and control. Too much stimulation in one area can lead to sensory overload, where this individual is unable to make sense of it. Each sense contributes differently to the feeling of being overloaded by information and stimuli.

Let’s start with sight as an example; when there are too many crowds present, or there are lots of visual clutter such as bright lights, moving lights or multiple changing screens; it can cause an overwhelming sensation which will contribute to sensory overload. With hearing, loud noises and sudden noises, background noise or competing noises such as trying to listen to one person talking in the middle of a crowded room may also contribute greatly. On the other hand, tasting new and unfamiliar flavours as well as overly spicy food could cause too much discomfort, therefore leading to sensory overload. Lastly, touch can play an equally important role; this usually means myriad events such as being hugged without warning, unexpected physical contact such as clothing with tags still on them or wearing wool clothing which causes prickling sensations against the skin. All these sources combined together can result in sensory overload managing.

Coping with Sensory Overload

Sensory overload is a stress response that affects millions of people around the world, making it difficult for them to process sensations from their environment. Coping with sensory overload can be challenging, requiring mental strength as well as creative ingenuity in order to best manage the condition. The first step towards coping with this is to recognise your triggers; it may take some time to understand what sort of stimuli typically leads to triggering an overloaded response, but it is essential in order to reduce the amount of times it occurs.

Identifying Triggers

Sensory overload can be a challenging issue to grapple with, as the causes can often be difficult to pinpoint. Triggering events can vary greatly for individuals, as different scenarios and contextual factors may cause varying levels of distress and feeling of being overwhelmed. For some people, triggers of sensory overload can stem from simply being overloaded; certain spaces or environments that contain too much movement or sound, can lead to feeling overwhelmed and stressed. Similarly, traumatic past experiences such as physical abuse or horrifying accidents may also be associated with triggering conditions, where even the slightest trigger could spark a potentially overwhelming memory or feeling.

Solutions

In addition to the above-mentioned manual triggers, more general circumstances may coincide in a way that causes sensory overload. Other common triggers include bright flashing lights which can be very disorienting and uncomfortable for some people; certain scents; active industrial noises; large groups of moving people such as crowds at malls or stadiums; high temperatures and humidity levels which may create an oppressive atmosphere; moving vehicles with loud engines such as airplanes; and clothing labels rubbing against skin or uncomfortable textures making contact with skin. Depending on their individual sensitivities, these elements combined in one context may become too overwhelming for some people who are already dealing with certain sensorial challenges.

Once you have a clearer idea of what your triggers are, you can attempt to avoid them by changing your environment or removing yourself from stimuli-rich settings and finding a safe space to recompose. For instance, try listening to calming music if you find noisy environments overwhelming, or investing in noise cancelling headphones or earplugs if necessary. Additionally, engaging in activities and attending events similar to those without sensory overload could help boost confidence and reduce discomfort. Finally, be proactive about reducing external sensory input during these experiences; bring earplugs or blindfolds/eye masks, if need be, in order to better cope with environment stimuli that might occur throughout the day. With some creative thinking and positive attitude, managing one’s own sensory sensitivities is possible.

Otifleks

In the pursuit of auditory wellbeing, Otifleks emerges as a ground breaking player, offering a fresh perspective on Ear Care. From aquatic environments and peaceful sleep to air travel and bustling workplaces, Otifleks introduces a range of thoughtfully crafted earplugs that cater to diverse sensory needs.

Say farewell to overwhelming sensory experiences and embrace tailored solutions designed for specific contexts. Otifleks invites you to embark on a journey where auditory balance takes centre stage, offering a haven of tranquillity even amidst noisy auditory landscapes.

Step into the world of Otifleks and discover an elevated auditory encounter, where the delicate nuances of soundscapes are preserved. Immerse yourself in an audible transformation that goes beyond the conventional, capturing the essence of sensory equilibrium from underwater realms to the world of dreams.

Dreamlight

Dreamlight Sleep Eye Masks provide a comfortable, light-blocking experience for those suffering from visual sensory overload. By blocking out even the smallest amount of ambient light, Dreamlight Sleep Eye Masks are perfect for those looking to create a fully dark environment. This range of masks are designed with an adjustable Velcro strap that ensures maximum comfort and a secure fit around the head. It is made of a lightweight, soft and breathable material, providing a cool and comfortable sensation during sleep, or when bright lights or too much movement is present, causing an overwhelming sensation. Additionally, this mask can be easily paired with earplugs, which helps to further block out sound, creating a tranquil space. With Dreamlight Sleep Eye Masks, users no longer have to worry about being disturbed by bright lights. The perfect accessory to help reduce visual sensory overload!

Living with Overload

Having the ability to cope with life’s ups and downs is an important part of staying emotionally healthy. General coping strategies help us to process overwhelming feelings, manage difficult situations, and adjust our expectations for advantages in times of distress. There are various methods available that can be tailored according to individual needs and some of these include taking pre-emptive rest before attending a birthday party with loud music, or theatre show, scheduling alone time that allows for winding down and recharging, and most importantly giving yourself permission to temporarily remove yourself from busy situations at the first signs of sensory overload.

Another important step in preparing ourselves is understanding how we react as individuals when faced with overly stimulating activities such as crowded environments, or sitting through long meetings. Having this knowledge on hand helps us prepare for challenges before they surface by being able to take advantage of our weaknesses, instead of allowing them to wreck havoc on our lives. Taking breaks when needed, allowing ourselves time for rest and relaxation, including meditation, being aware of potential triggers, learning how our emotions play into decision making – all these elements enable us to create successful coping strategies, while also effectively controlling stress levels on a daily basis.

Final Thoughts

Overall, sensory overload can be a difficult issue to manage. However, there are many ways to help manage the discomfort and effects that come along with it. One can try calming activities such as yoga or meditation, deep breathing exercises, and positive self-talk behaviour. Additionally, someone can reach out for professional help if they are dealing with more significant struggles related to sensory issues. It is important to remember that you are not alone in this and there is help available.

In conclusion, this article sought to provide an overview of sensory overload and how it can affect all of us. There are various techniques that one can use to help manage this issue. Most importantly, never be afraid to ask for support if needed either from family, friends or professionals specialising in this field of work. With patience and support from others around us, it will become easier to deal with these difficult moments of sensory overload.

References

1. What Is Sensory Overload? 9 Helpful Tips to Manage Overload (scienceofpeople.com)
2. 5 Tips to Managing Sensory Overload When Seeking Accommodations Isn’t an Option | Neurodiverging
3. Sensory Overload: Tips For Helping Sensory Sensitive Children (ivyrehab.com)
4. How to Deal with Sensory Overload: 19 Coping Strategies | The Health Sessions
5. 7 Strategies for Coping with Sensory Overload | Multi-Sensory World
6. Sensory overload: Symptoms, causes, and treatment (medicalnewstoday.com)
7. How to Manage Sensory Overload in Adults – Sensory Friendly Solutions
8. Sensory Overload: Symptoms, Causes, Related Conditions, and More (healthline.com)