Post Long Haul Fug

[jetset lady]

A question for all those flying long haul routes. How do you deal with the after effects as the older I get, the harder it seems to be. You'd think after nine years I'd be used to it, but apparently not.

If I try to stay up all day, I spend most of it with a temperament comparable to that of a terrier with it's tail stuck in the door. If, on the other hand, I have a nap, I wake up in a fug feeling all out of sorts and emotional. I cried at the end of "Cold Case" last night! That's not normal. :uhoh:

So does anyone have any tips? I'm generally doing 2-3 days shorthaul, straight into a long haul bullet and then minimum days off before it starts again. All suggestions will be gratefully received!

Jsl

[timmcat]

I spend most of it with a temperament comparable to that of a terrier with it's tail stuck in the door



Understatement of the year......

:eek:

[jetset lady]

Ok...Who let timmcat out of Jetblast? ;)

[britboy2]

What I do is have a 6ish hour sleep when I get home and force myself to get up.. I feel like crap when I do but can normaly sleep later that night.

I do find it harder to go east :\

Been flying 11 years and it your right it get harder the older I get :{

[Basil]

it get harder the older I get
You wish :}

I used to do whatever suited.
If I could remain awake, I did. If it looked like a no-hoper I just hit the sack for four hours or so.

Same down route; I slept when I was tired. If I stayed awake and tried to sleep at an 'appropriate' time before departure and couldn't - oh dear not really fit to work :(

[Doors To Manuel]

There is no cure. I've found that some people cope and others just don't.

However, the rules which work best for me -
As far as possible, try to
1. Eat local, sleep global (ie try to sleep closer to 'home' hours while away, but take meals relevant to where you are)
2. Whenever you can take a short walk outside when you arrive there or back. Even 10 mins
3. Eat plenty of breakfasts. I used to work an 1800-0300 shift as a driver, and I usually had 2 to 3 breakfasts a day. Yum!

But finally, give in to it! If you are hungry, eat. If you feel tired, don't fight it, sleep.

Manuel

[Bellerophon]

it get harder the older I get

Trust us, it doesn't! :}

Now, back to jet-lag remedies....

Sleep as soon you get home, for 4 - 5 hours, then make yourself get up. You will probably then still be able to sleep that night.

If you find a method of sleeping during the second night at home, do let us all know! ;)

Best Regards

Bellerophon

[qwertyuiop]

Why do you think soooo many long haul chaps pop their clogs early. It buggers you up big time!
In my early 50's now and it takes me days to get over a 4/5 day trip.
Enjoy it while your young!!

[TightSlot]

Children. They'll keep you awake when you're sleepy and put you to sleep when you need to be awake

[wiggy]

If you find a method of sleeping during the second night at home, do let us all know

And the sooner the better, I'm on night 2...........

[Cyber Bob]

You ain't ever gonna feel normal or look like Brad and Jen - you gotta face that fact Honey, however there are some things that may help (Yeah right!)

Get home in the UK before 1200 - go to bed

after 1200 - stay up

Drink lots of H20 in-flight

Crew food - please don't do it to yourself - 'Meat Lasagne' - you know you'll never find out what meat 'Product' it is

Don't drink Kirin/Lemon hi's - NRT

Never 'Minesweep' in a crew party

Don't bother stocking up at CVS (Apart from the essential Collagen filler!!) - may look glam on the outside but it doesn't take care of the insides!

My top tip - move onto local time wherever you are, eat when you're hungry and when downroute, if you can't sleep don't stress, just rest on your bed. We've all operated as 10 hour flight without sleeping the night/day before - your body can cope, despite the odd wheel falling off now and again!!

Oh what a glam life we lead
CB:ok:

[jetset lady]

So no magic cures then? :(

Thanks everyone for all of your suggestions. It seems like it's a case of carry on pretty much as I have been, however...

Tightslot,

Thanks but I think that may be a slightly more drastic cure than I was hoping for. On the other hand, it would mean I could escape the silly season and sit in the office all summer. I'll think about that one!

Cyber Bob,

I know I probably shouldn't have to ask and undoubtedly, will regret asking, but what are/is....

Kirin/Lemon hi's
Minesweeping
and what shouldn't I stock up on from CVS?

[exmax]

I would say that if you arrive early in the morning, then it's a good idea to try to sleep for 4hrs or so then continue on with the day, by evening time you should find that you can still get a 'normal' nights sleep. That's what I generally do, sometimes I can't sleep for 4hrs but when I wake up, I know I've had the right amount of sleep for me.


If you arrive in the evening, then you just go to sleep at your 'normal' sleep time. In both cases, I always feel great having a shower and a quick wind-down before I get into bed. I also think drinking lots of water in-flight is a must, as is, drinking water after your flight too.

exmax

[wiggy]

Kirin - Japanese beer renowned for it's ability to produce cranium splitting hangovers after just one pint.......:ugh:

Minesweeping - You're one of the last remaining at a room party, it's late, your crew purchase has run out.. but you fancy just one more teeny weeny drink..and that half full glass over there..well it was left behind by someone who left hours ago....shame to let it go to waste...and after that there's that funny green drink somebody left..........:hmm:..

Oh, and another bit of related advice - never, ever, minesweep directly from abandoned drinks cans, at some point you will end up drinking the cigarette stub.....:=

I'm perplexed by the CVS thing as well.....

[Cyber Bob]

Many thanks Wiggy - Respect to you, looks like you 'Bin there and dun it!!'

JL

Lemon Hi - Tastes like sweet lemonade and goes down a treat. Exit the building, smell feash air and :ugh: - your hitting walls, pavements and whatever else gets in your way !!

The CVS thang, we all stock up on lotions and potions in a vain attempt to keep looking fab however despite spending shed loads of USD's, done nothing for my skin - spend your hard earned elsewhere! - maybe on a bottle of the green stuff that Wiggy was tempted to polish off !!

All the best
CB

[TightSlot]

CVS - An FA's Best friend (http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/user/home/home.jsp)

[onboard]

If you find a method of sleeping during the second night at home, do let us all know! http://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/wink2.gif

wait.... you mean, you get a second night at home? :confused:

[Landroger]

I have learned more about what it is like to be cabin crew from this little thread, than fourteen months of reading the BASSA vs BA thread. Thank you. :)

ROger.

[somewhereat1l]

CVS = Crew Vital Supplies :)

[jetset lady]

Ah, I get it now! Thanks for the explanations. As a non drinker, alcoholic drinks are not my strong point. Pity the first passengers to order a Kir Royale from me. No one told me I wasn't supposed to put the whole bottle of creme de casiss (sp?) in. And as someone with stupidly sensitive skin, lotions and potions are out too.


Oh, and another bit of related advice - never, ever, minesweep directly from abandoned drinks cans, at some point you will end up drinking the cigarette stub.....


Been there, done that! It's usually my can of coke that gets used as an ashtray...:yuk:

[ExSp33db1rd]

But finally, give in to it! If you are hungry, eat. If you feel tired, don't fight it, sleep.


Quite right, eat when hungry, sleep when tired.

Which is one reason why crew have always demanded First Class Hotels, not because they want to be Prima Donnas ( tho' there's always some who do !! ) but need a dark, quiet room with access to room service, or a 24 hr. Coffee Shop, within the hotel.

Actually easier away than at home, where school runs and other cast-in-concrete timetables have to be re-adjusted to.

The principle of 2 'local' nights rest after an Atlantic crossing ensured that one started the return trip back from the USA totally knackered, not enough time to adjust, yet long enough to become screwed up. One day, shock horror ! management suggested that one would return on the early morning flight after the day before's arrival. Because of this totally ridiculous idea, it was decided that only 'management' Captains would operate these flights, as a trial. Unfortunately 'ordinary' co-pilots and engineers had no such choice, and I was rostered accordingly, turning up muttering and grumbling etc.

In practice it worked a treat. Work it out - dep. UK in the morning after a good nights' normal sleep, some 8-9 hours duty day to arrive in New York around 7.00 pm UK time, which meant of course that one then went to bed around 4-5.oo pm New York time, which wasn't normal of course, but was quite possible - if one missed out all the shopping and boozing.

Wake up really early in New York for leisurely breakfast and set off back to the airport for a 10.00 departure ( NY ) and arrive back in UK around 9.00 pm the day after departure, go home, go to bed never having left UK time.

Worked a charm - course, don't tell BASSA or Unite, and of course there was no time for shopping at Macy's or whatever.

Glad I don't have that problem any more.

Enjoy.