I'm all for daylight saving, but the timing of the switch-over this year was a little unfortunate so far as I was concerned. We had arrived back from Europe the previous day, so I was severely jet-lagged (as always happens to me when travelling from west to east). But then to compound the issue with a further one hour time change a day later..... I wondered if my body clock woud ever fully adjust!
I guess it could have been worse - for example, if I had over-looked that daylight saving was about to start!
I have some USA strength melatonin, which is said to help jet lag eastwards if taken at the right time (bed time) by inducing the body to think it is sleep time. Her's a web quote:
ReplyDeleteWhen traveling across time zones, we need to adjust our body clocks from "home time" to the new time. The more time zones we cross, the longer it takes to reset the body clock to the new time. After arriving from a long trip, our body clocks are out of synch with the local time and we feel sleepy, alert and hungry at the wrong times. The problem is compounded by sleep loss during an overnight flight and possibly by alcohol and caffeine consumed on board. These add up to produce "jet lag." Jet lag is not "all in your head." It is a physical condition caused by the disturbance of our circadian rhythms and travel associated with sleep deprivation. An NSF survey found that about half of all business travelers experience jet lag. They report that their performance and productivity are negatively affected. The problem was worse for women than men surveyed.
Although research is very limited, the use of melatonin for jet lag appears reasonable. Many published scientific studies conclude that melatonin can be effective for preventing or reducing jet lag, particularly for crossing five or more time zones and when traveling east. However, safe and appropriate use of melatonin needs further testing.