Is melatonin safe to take for Jetlag?

[Omaha]

I'm reading a very interesting 'Guide to Safe Travel' by a former SAS officer (hell whoever said I went unprepared) .

Now being someone who has a heck of a problem with jet lag particularly on my outbound journeys when my body clock is trying to get used to a new time zone (& that's been only to western America) I'm anxious to find some remedy so this condition doesn't inpinge too much on me when I eventually travel downunder lest I have to waste too many days stumbling around in a dozy stupor half enjoying everything (I have been known to half fall asleep on the counter of McDonalds while returning from my brill trip to Mount St Helens & it would have taken a hell of alot more than an erupting volcano to fully awaken me) . Still hadn't woken up properly a few days later when I arrived in Vancouver so I asked fellow guests where I was staying would one of them mind carrying me up to my bedroom from the television room where I was slumped wrecked over the couch. It was retorted with a cheeky remark from some inpertinent fellow "Depends on what for".

Returning I tend to leave myself **** all time between when I arrive on home soil & I return to work which is exasperated by my bosses total lack of sympathy & all back to business attitude if I complain I'm tired with remarks like "Heck, you've had *** weeks off work, WORK". This year, well actually it will be early next year when I return it will be no different since I gave into the temptation of wanting to spend a day in Singapore on my way back meaning I land after 10am in Dublin on Monday morning & am back into work on the Tuesday morning.

So I saw where the former officer of this eh esteemed regiment said some people use melatonin, a natural hormone that regulates sleep to recover from jet lag. All fine & dandy I hear you say, trouble is for me it's not. What concerns me is that the drug was not yet perscribed & no safety or quality control standards were established as of when this book went to print in 2002. Some experts recommend small doses of around 0.5 milligrams three days before ones flight when it is about 8am at ones destination country & the dose repeated on arrival until a normal sleeping pattern has been established.

Have any readers ever used melatonin & do they know if its safe & effective? With so little tests done on it by the time this book went to print I'd be scared given on the info to touch it cause I'm ferce fussy what goes into my body & the unproven effects of untested drugs.

He also recommends to avoid jet lag that if flying west which I ain't to avoid bright light after 6pm & if flying east to avoid bright light until around 10am whatever he means by all that.

Any other remedies you guys can think of.....?

[strake]

Ohmaha

I relate completely to your experiences and concerns. For my sins, I have to go to Tokyo 4 or 5 times a year. The first time I went, I thought I was dying of some chest/heart/brain problem (hypochondria? Me?). I really did get stressed. The cause..going to meetings from 10am local through to 5pm Local. I.E. from 1am UK time to 8am UK time. In other words REAL jet-lag..the stuff that makes you ill.
I had tried everything, staying awake on the plane, going asleep on the plane, staying awake the first day, going to sleep on the first day and so on. Whatever I did, I went to sleep exhausted at 11pm local and then woke up feeling great at 2am local. I then join the other US and European Lobby Zombies downstairs in the Biz centre before returning to my room and falling into a deep sleep 5 minutes before it's time to wake up.

Sound familiar? They've even made a film about it "Lost in Translation" based in Tokyo and so realistic, I could have written it...!

To your question (at last) I bought some melotonin in the States about 18 months ago (not available in the UK apparently) and started taking it a week before my trips. I don't bother for coming back ie westerly as I don't seem to get affected.
Now, the Medics may well say I am merely enjoing a placebo effect but I don't care. It works for me and I have experienced no side effects. Hope this helps and good luck whatever you decide to do.

[TightSlot]

Crew (Flight & Cabin) are discouraged (possibly forbidden) from using it at work, by my employer, at least. Quite how significant this may be I can't say, but thought I'd let you know anyway - I'm sweet like that!

[Boss Raptor]

I dont really suffer from Jet Lag but do get fatigued from the journeys.

I sometimes take Melatonin to break the exhausted but cant sleep vicious circle which u can get in especially if stressed - it does break the circle and doesn't have any unpleasant (or noticeable) side effects on me.

Although saying that I can fully understand Flight Crew and Engineers etc not being encouraged to take it mid journey/duty as if it did cause determental side effects on any staff person it could have critical effects on flight safety...although u could also argue the same Crews/Staff shouldnt drink at all (or take/smoke other 'stuff') during duty/journey lay overs...but no doubt some do

[BOFH]

As TightSlot points out, if it conflicts with your work, it's not an option.

In a former life, I was doing research into the effects of melatonin on circadian rhythms - this was twenty years ago - and none of the rats died. (from the melatonin, at least). However, I feel the phenomenon of jet lag is not just shifting time zones, but also disorientation.

If you are travelling to Australia, you must break your journey unless you cannot help it. As I gather this trip has been planned, it won't be a problem in SIN. Set your watch to Dublin time and enjoy yourself. In SIN you can relax. No-one will mug you or rip you off (unless you are on Orchard Road ), and go with the flow. Eat the most delicious Chinese food you'll have for a long time in Food Street. Have a Sling at Raffles (it's a ripoff, but tradition).

Have someone you can chat with for lunch on the day of your arrival and try to stay out of bed until after 1900. Unpack your gear, do some washing, commit to something - otherwise you'll be out cold at midday and waking up at 2200 wondering how to get back to sleep. Call your friends while you are in the bath, tell them you are back, about your experiences, etc.

You'll sleep like a baby and scrub up nicely on the Tuesday.

Take eyeshades and earplugs on every flight, plus one of those 'Do Not Disturb' labels.

Have a wonderful trip
BOFH

[TightSlot]

although u could also argue the same Crews/Staff shouldnt drink at all

Off Topic, I know... It has been really interesting to note how habits have changed since the relatively recent legislative changes to what is, in effect, a zero allowance for blood in the alcohol stream.

From personal experience, the wild alcohol party days & nights downroute have come to a screeching halt, unless there is at least a 24hr gap from bottle to throttle, and for many, 36hrs.

(Of course, they could all be waiting until I've crawled into my pit before meeting up without me and having a ball!)

[Omaha]

Thank you mate for your kind wishes indeed thank you everyone for your posts so far.

Since I do not work in the airline industry unless its on the pilots I should not see it clashing with my work, there's only so much damage you can do to someone with a computer. Now I'm not a rat I think (yuck, shudder) but may I correct you, this trip is to New Zealand & not Oz due to the heat there in December & the lovely Kaptin M's sound advice. Reckon NZ in the main will be alot cooler or atleast it better be alot cooler, if not so jetlag willl be the least of my problems.

On the way out I've just short stops in Singapore, not leaving the airport but returning I've a 20 hour stopover there on which I plan to race around the city for a day. Due to me wanting to make the most of NZ when there I choose not to do overnight stopovers either way, leave the Orient for a later date. Wonder have I made the right choice.

Eat the most delicious Chinese food you'll have for a long time in Food Street.

My Gawd, here's a person after my own heart & what an absolutely wonderful name for a street. Best suggestion I've heard in a long time mate & I'm a sucker for tradition whatever the price, well within limits that is. I intend to visit the zoo in the morning, breakfast with the animals or something.

Call your friends while you are in the bath,

I was planning on crashing soon as I got home, looks like I may have to improvise on my plans given your advice I never take baths, only showers.

(Of course, they could all be waiting until I've crawled into my pit before meeting up without me and having a ball!)

I'm sure TightSlot that could never be true.

[Rollingthunder]

For me eastbound messes me up for a few days (8 hour time change) so I tend to get up very early. This is ok as it is generally the nicest time of the day. Good for exploring new cities as well as you mostly have them to yourself and see a different aspect of things.

Westbound is easy (again for me), but not sure why. So, if you get in at 10am - stay up doing things until your normal bedtime and you should be right the next morning. Stay well hydrated on the flights.

I don't fool around with medications to deal with things like this.

If you do the Milford Track, watch out for the Keas. It's a hard walk with only one hiking boot.

http://www.webfoot.com/travel/trip/trip.nz.milford.html

[Omaha]

Thank You Rollingthunder

I'm actually getting in close to midnight into Auckland. Thanks for the tip re: Milford, I'm hoping to pack in as many outdoor pursuits that I'm amenable too in this trip & I will be heading down Milford way so I'll keep a record of your recommendation.

In the meantime I'll have to make do with the only fjord in Ireland. Shucks.

[Jorge Newberry]

After suffering a rather traumatic experience (bound, gagged, gun to my head for three and a half hours while my apartment was being robbed) I took some melatonin in a bid to get my sleep cycle back on track. And guess what? It made made no perceptible difference whatsoever...

I subsequently tried it to deal with the effects of jet lag but didn't notice any effect then either.

[Momo]

Works for me

Works for me. Take it all the time. Both directions. 1 mg. per hour of time difference. Most common dosage is 3mg. So to California, I take 9 mg the first night, 6 the second, 3 the third.

Momo

[Omaha]

Uh

That sounds unpleasant Jorge

Hope you're okay.

On another note there appear to be people on both sides of the fence answering this thread, some advocate the use of the drug, others wouldn't touch it with a barge pole, for some it's worked wonders, for others its had nought effect.

I'm still in as much a dilemma as ever whether I would risk using it or not, it usually ends up being the latter if I've the slightest doubts or concerns at all.

Thanks for all your replies anyway.

[Boss Raptor]

I should add that in my experience Melatonin is not a sedative or a sleeping pill in action/effect. It does not send u to sleep if you dont wish to sleep, what it does (with me) is enable me to sleep on thru those times in the night when if restless I would normally come awake and stay awake

[Gouabafla]

Another option that is worth trying is Tylenol PM (or any other pain killer PM). Various medecines of this sort are available over the counter in the US and they claim to contain something that helps you sleep. It might be a placebo effect, but I find they work. They don't deal with jetlag as such, but getting a few hours serious shut eye can make a lot of difference on a long flight even if you are just going North-South.

[Omaha]

Saw a paper article there on jetlag & what they recommend to avoid it.

Let me see how it compares with how I've set myself up for my next long haul trip.

1) Recommendation: Fork out for a flat bed in business class.

My arrangements: I'm travelling in economy, dirt cheap as usual, except it's not really that cheap.


2) Recommendation: Fly east to west. It only takes one day per time zone crossed in this direction to recover from jet lag, it takes one and a half days per time zone when travelling west to east.

My arrangements: I'm flying west to east.


3) Recommendation: Go for night time flights when travellers bodies are conditioned to sleep.

My arrangements: I leave early morning, am airbourne for one night & arrive at my destination close to midnight.


4) Recommendation: Recreate a home environment to induce sleep such as spraying lavender on your pillow.

My arrangements: Since when did anyone spray lavender on their pillow, I'd probably suffocate. However my cat sometimes sleeps on my pillow. Could I bring my cat instead?


5) Recommendation: Cover your eyes.

My arrangements: Ah finally, that can be arranged. But not when there any good looking men walking up & down the aircraft.


6) Recommendation: Put your socks in the freezer & chill them.

My arrangements: Eh uh what! The only socks I'll be likely to be wearing are flight socks anyway but if they really want me to stick them in the freezer well that can be arranged too.


I scored 2.5 out of six. Looks like I'm screwed whatever which way I turn.

Worse I've just seen somewhere else I might like to visit, so I may be hitting the road the morning after I land & not even giving myself one day to recupriate in Auckland. I'm a suckler for punishment.