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Everywhere around the world, business people blame bad days on jetlag. Every day, athletes around the world blame poor performances on jetlag.

Jetlag affects us physically, mentally, and emotionally. A physical example is swollen feet. A mental example is disorientation. An emotional one is anxiety.

Swollen feet are caused by the low air pressure on board and lack of circulation from sitting for long periods without moving. To remedy this, wear travel shoes a half size too large (use cushion inserts on the ground).

Abstaining from alcoholic beverages while on board (and drinking lots of water instead) is both a physical and a mental remedy--it helps to offset dehydration, and it promotes mental clarity.

JETLAG SYMPTOMS (Partial List)

WHAT CAUSES JETLAG?

How are we to alleviate the symptoms of jetlag so that they do not interfere with our mental acuity and physical vitality?

Jetlag is caused by a complex combination of circumstances.

First, there are the environmental deviations of traveling--shifts in time, alterations in magnetic fields, modifications in climate, and diversities in cultures.

As if this weren't enough, we are forced into a sickening environment while flying in commercial jets, where we are deprived of air and humidity and exposed to recirculated germs and chemicals, radiation, pesticides, noise, and dehydration.

NO QUICK FIX

There is no quick fix to alleviate all the symptoms of jetlag. There is no single pill or remedy for all these symptoms because of all the different things that cause jetlag.

We can cope, however, with a little consciousness in our daily life.

First of all, spend some time outside during daylight hours. Even being in a room with windows helps to enlighten our body clocks. Natural light automatically cues our cells to the new local cosmology.

If you can do only one thing, adjust your bedtime to the new, local timetable as soon as possible. Along with the adoption of the local bedtime, try doing what the locals do: their food preferences, meal times, recreational activities, and even the way they dress.

It also helps to schedule work and other important activities at times when you are likely to have maximum energy:
...in the evenings, after flying east,
...in the mornings, after flying west.

STRATEGIES

1. Spend some time every day outdoors.

2. Set your watch to local time.

3. Sleep and eat on local time.

4. Schedule work for maximum energy according to your home time.

SET YOUR WATCH, FOCUS YOUR MIND

All our internal cycles (temperature, sleep, cravings for sweets, reactions to medications, and more) are programmable, like computers.

You can program yours to bounce back from jetlag with adaptability and resilience.

Start by focusing your thoughts and feelings on your desired goals--determine to enjoy well-being as you skirt the globe.

And be sure to set our watch to your destination local time as soon as possible after takeoff.

"Jetlag is not psychological; it is cycle logical."