Wanderlust: Expat Life & Style in Thailand Oct / Nov 2017: The Travel Issue | Page 64

Health & Wellness
Conquering Jet Lag
We’ve all been there: We board our flight bursting with enthusiasm
for the destination ahead, only to land with a head full of fatigue.
Jet lag is often unavoidable, but there are ways to reduce its
effects and how long it lingers with some careful planning and
just-landed limbering. Fitness expert Ror Alexander shows us how.
T
he human body and its hor-
mones work to the rhythms of
a 24-hour clock, also known as
circadian rhythms. Certain hormones
rise and fall with the sun, while oth-
ers are dictated by darkness. When
entering a new time zone, we can
confuse these hormones and cause
a number of side effects familiar to
frequent travelers: difficulty sleeping,
anxiety, tiredness, bowel issues, loss
of appetite, moodiness and lethargy.
Unfortunately, there are no guar-
anteed ways to prevent jet lag from
setting in. There are, however, a few
things we can do to minimize it.
1
Use a foam
roller to release
tension from
tired muscles
BE PREPARED
When possible, get accus-
tomed to the time zone you will be
visiting a few days ahead of your de-
parture date. This may mean stay-
ing up a little later at night or hit-
ting snooze on your alarm clock and
sleeping in during the morning, de-
pending which way you’re flying. For
example, if you’re flying west, try to
hit the sack past your usual bedtime;
and, if you’re headed east, consider
moving your bedtime forward.
BLUE
2 AVOID
LIGHT IN FLIGHT
Put simply, the blue light emitted
from our phones, tablets and gadgets
keeps our brains awake. Though it
can be tempting to wile away a long
journey by watching a movie or get-
ting some work done on the laptop,
such activity is likely to wreak havoc
on your hormones.
A recent study by Harvard
University indicated that cities with
high amounts of artificial lighting
had increased rates of breast cancer
among the women that lived there.
64 WANDERLUST
Jump ropes
are lightweight
for travel and
can help with
stretches
Cobra pose
makes for a
relaxing post-
workout exercise
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