Jet lag...How minimize it?

[EngOverspeed]

Hello Everybody!

I'm aircraft maintenance engineer and at the moment preparing for my Human Factors exam.
There is question about jet lag effect. I think you, ladies and gents, can give me some advices, because, I believe, some of you are flying transcontinental.

So, the question is:

With regard to the circadian rhythms, how the body affected after long flight over several time zones?
How can these effects be minimized?

I'm interested very much about second question.
:hmm:

Thank you in advance.

EngOverspeed

[Basil]

The closest thing in the hangar to jetlag is being moved on to nightshift work. You feel tired when you are trying to work and then cannot sleep when you want to.
Absolutely marvellous fun! :*

I am not aware of any effective non-hazardous way of overcoming the effects other than spending time in the new timezone. I believe we adjust at about an hour or less per day. As a sailor we crossed about half an hour per day in the Atlantic and that was easily manageable but 10 hours in one night is a bit tough.

Some academics believe that there is more than one body clock, e.g. one for sleep and another for diurnal body temperature and that, whilst the temperature rhythm would (without the influence of the 24 hour day) stabilise at 25 hours, the sleep cycle can vary from 20 to 28 hours.

Ref the question:
When you sleep depends whether you wish to synchronise to local time or remain on your 'home' time.
The best circumstances for sleeping are (of course) a quiet, comfortable bedroom, a calm winding-down period (avoid full and frank discussions about politics, religion and who should buy the next round of drinks :D ), and having mentioned alcohol, although it may induce sleep, it suppresses REM sleep and therefore quality of rest.
As a pilot, just considering the return trip, I sleep when I'm tired. I've tried forcing myself to stay awake in order to get a block of sleep before departure and then been unable to sleep to order :ugh:

The final and most important bit about the exam question is 'What answer does the examiner want to hear?' ;)

[Carl Rawson]

I don't know if this helps. I'm still waiting for my first job and I very much doubt that it'll be long-haul! However, I do have family in CA - USA and visit regularly and have found that discipline is the key to jet lag.
1: Going Westbound. Get a little sleep if you can on the way and imediately upon leaving the UK put your watch to their time. Discipline yourself to thinking that you are going to have one of those days where you do an early shift; go home and have ten minutes in the chair and then straight out with the lads on "the razz" later. On arrival make sure that you complete your day as normally as possible eg. supper and bed at 2130-2300 as normal. Golden rule: NO ALCOHOL. This will ruin REM sleep and you will wake the next day tired.
2: Going Eastbound. This I'm afraid is more difficult. Same again with the watch. This time try to get as much rest prior to departure and during the flight as possible, preferably sleep. You still need to discipline yourself to a "normal day" at destination. What's worse here is that you will probably be taking off at the end of a normal day Westside and upon arrival back in blighty still need to stay awake another 8 hrs! Difficult. Once again no alcohol.
From my days of ATPL's I think that the books always said that Westward was easiest. But I have to say that staying awake at the other end and getting into "their day" is the best option from the start.
Hope this helps and good luck! :ok: