Jet Lag

[Catrin]

I was SO tired after traveling all day Sunday to Reno and then to the opening sessions/dinner of the conference.

Tomorrow I travel home, and will have another very long day. Is it better to sleep late (pacific time zone), knowing I won't get home until almost midnight (eastern), or to get up closer to my usual time (eastern)? The latter makes sense to me, but I would be rising at something like 3am local time... which way would create less jet lag? I don't travel west often, and as I've a busy day Friday am trying to prevent a repeat of Monday...

[indysteel]

What time do you have to get up the morning after you get back from Reno?

ETA: What time have you generally been going to sleep and waking up in Reno?

[indysteel]

In coming back from Utah recently and Portland last fall, I had far less trouble with jet lag once I got home than while I was out there. In Portland, Brian and I fell asleep as early as 7 pm some nights and woke up at the crack of dawn, but coming home wasn't so bad. I think I may have had trouble falling asleep the first night back, but beyond that, it wasn't a big deal. Of course, YMMV. It's sometimes hard to tell the difference between jet lag and being tired from a busy trip.

If it were me, I'd go to bed relatively early tonight and get up at, say, 5 or 6 a.m. Don't nap on the plane if you can help it. Don't be surprised if you're not overly tired when you get home--since your body will still be on Pacific time. Take a sleep aid if you must. Try to get up at your normal time, but don't be too concerned if you body just needs an extra hour or so.

On the first full day back, try to get plenty of daylight and a bit of exercise. Hopefully, you'll fall asleep and stay asleep without too much difficulty.

[Blueberry]

I always have an easier time coming back east than going out west. Of course, I can usually (until lately) sleep anywhere, anytime. It's the LONG day going west that gets me.

I'd probably get up early-ish local time, but not at 3AM.

[badger]

I usually stick to whatever time zone I'm in. I always take melatonin with me, though, and it really helps. And my travels are usually from west coast of N. America to Europe.

[Catrin]

What time do you have to get up the morning after you get back from Reno?

ETA: What time have you generally been going to sleep and waking up in Reno?

Friday I don't HAVE to get up until about 9 but I doubt that I will sleep that late. Have been rising at 5:30 am here and going to bed around 11 - still haven't had a full nights sleep. Looking forward to getting back to my own bed. I've been exercising, but not at my usual intensity level...

[Savra]

Going west is much easier than coming back east. I go west all the time and have little problem other than wanting to go to bed earlier and getting up earlier. When I get back east I feel like crap for days - no matter what. There isn't much you can do about it - at least, I haven't found anything to stop it from four years of doing the coast to coast flying.

[indysteel]

I wouldn't bother getting up super early. I tend to think you'll encounter at least one or two nights of insomnia once you return. By going to bed at 11 pm Pacific time, you're going to have a hard time adjusting to going to bed at a reasonable time in Indy. FWIW, If you ever travel west again, I would recommend going to bed a bit earlier than 11, so that it's easier to adjust back once you're home. But you've been gone less the week; it won't take you that long to get back to normal.

[OakLeaf]

Intercontinental travel is actually much easier than travel within North America, because on a transoceanic flight you have the opportunity to get good and sleep-deprived, so you can re-set your biological clock by the sun at your destination.

I agree that west to east within North America is a whole lot harder than the other way around. If there's any way you can get yourself sleep-deprived before the trip, I think it helps a lot. Melatonin will help me sleep in general, but really, all it is, is a pill containing your body's response to waning light.

[Catrin]

I've done a lot of travel in both directions over the years, but it has always been by car....

Thanks for the tips, I just didn't think about jet lag before the trip, I certainly will next time!

[shootingstar]

sounds like some of this is conference buzz let-down too.

The worst jet lag was when I flew into Toronto from Vancouver at 2:00 am and had to get up at 6:00 am on same morning..because my sister was preparing to get married on that day. I was working full-time just before that flight, then caught the plane.

[Catrin]

sounds like some of this is conference buzz let-down too.

The worst jet lag was when I flew into Toronto from Vancouver at 2:00 am and had to get up at 6:00 am on same morning..because my sister was preparing to get married on that day. I was working full-time just before that flight, then caught the plane.

Yeah, and eating too much without my usual level of exercise.... I am SO looking forward to getting back to my normal routine! I have been trying to work out, but it just isn't the same.