Keeping your body’s clock ticking regularly is vital to a healthy lifestyle but sometimes, like with traveling, upsetting the natural rhythm is inevitable. Jet lag, also known as circadian dysrhythmia or the syndrome of the time zones, is an imbalance produced between the internal clock of a person (which marks the periods of sleep and wakefulness) and the new schedule that is established when traveling to long distances, through several time zones.
Each person lives through jet lag differently and each person feels its effects with greater or lesser intensity.
Some of the symptoms that occur after a long flight can be changes in appetite, changes in sleep, fluid retention, headaches, poor digestion, constipation, swollen ankles, dehydration, nervous and mental fatigue, and extreme tiredness.
Practical Tips to Deal With Jet Lag
- Drink a lot of water.
- Keep your feet up as long as possible during the flight.
- Start changing your schedule little by little a few days before making the trip.
- Move during the flight, stand up, stretch, etc.
- Take a long walk as soon as possible after arrival, to improve circulation.
- Use essential oils during the trip.
Essential Oils to Use During the Trip
- For swollen ankles: You can use anticoagulant essential oils such as German chamomile, cypress, clove, rosemary, wintergreen, lemongrass, among others mixed with V-6 to massage the feet and legs during the trip.
- For the cramps, you can use mint, Panaway, wintergreen, Aroma Siez, Deep Relief, among others mixed with V-6 to give a vigorous massage at the place of cramping during the trip or after the trip.
- For anxiety or fear of flying you can use calming oils. Apply behind the ears and on the wrists as many times as necessary, or put a drop in the palm of your hand and inhale.
- For pre-flight anxiety, you can use the same oils as for anxiety or fear of flying.
- To be able to sleep on the plane you can use the essential oils of lavender, valerian, cedar wood applied with a massage on the neck, shoulders, feet, and chest.
- For dizziness during the trip apply mint and ginger in the stomach area, and inhale these same oils.
Upon Arrival…
When you reach your destination you have to try to stay awake until 9 pm or 10 pm local time to balance the schedules.
If you have to work on arrival, use invigorating essential oils to keep yourself alert. The essential oils of lemon, lime, bergamot, grapefruit, rosemary, mint can help you to wake up and feel awake.
Sometimes the opposite scenario could be your problem. If you’re finding it difficult to sleep when you should be sleeping, use oil like American Hemp Oil to help calm your mind and ease into a better night’s sleep.
The right oils will lull you into a peaceful sleep and help you to wake up feeling refreshed. Oils can, therefore, be used to help reset your body’s internal alarm clock, helping you to wake up at a normal time even when you are jet lagged.
