Jet Lag: Nap, exercise, eat, drugs or what?

Given the fact I am about to jet off to Italy for the Duathlon World Championships, I find myself doing my yearly Googling on the latest trends and research in jet lag and how to beat it. I have had many long flight trips: Japan, Australia, Italy, Hungary, Denmark.. and more; all in the name of racing. So, it is imperative I conquer the jet lag issue ASAP upon arrival so I can get my game face on and be prepped and rested for the race I have generally spent 6 or more months prepping for.

This years research turned up a very timely article on MSNBC given I am about a week from jetting out of here. But first, a little jet lag education. Research suggests that the key causes of jet lag are 2 fold: It is not the number of hours traveled, but the number of time zones crossed and the direction of travel. The greater the number of zones, the worse the effects. Effects that range from Interrupted sleep, irritability, disorientation, lack of motivation, fatigue, swollen limbs (not if you use Skinz compression tights), gastrointestinal problems, and dreaded dehydration. As for direction, traveling east is harder than traveling west, simply put, "because it is easier for us to delay our clock than to speed it up.” The experts explain that, "changing time zones throws off the body’s circadian rhythms, which control the release of hormones and chemicals that let you know when to eat, sleep and wake up" and that “rapid travel between time zones temporarily disrupts this biological clock and results in the set of symptoms known as jet lag."

All this being said, here are some tips:

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