Avoiding jet lag

Having operated a business in Denmark for many years, I had to fly between Copenhagen and Los Angeles every other month. The 9-hour time change flying east was a killer. Leaving L.A. at the end of one day, I would arrive in early afternoon the next day. And I had to work at meetings, etc., so I could not afford to have jet lag. The following became my remedy.

Get a good night’s sleep the day before departure. Set your time ahead nine hours at takeoff. When, after arrival, the desire for sleep sets in in late afternoon, do NOT go to sleep but stay active by any means, including walking or mixing with friends or family, if available. Stay up until 9 or 10 p.m.

Place a prescription sleeping pill (no over-the-counter stuff) at your bedside with a glass of water. Set your alarm clock to 1:30 a.m. When the alarm goes off, hit the bathroom, take the pill and sleep until 7 or 8 a.m. The idea is to adjust to “their” time as fast as possible.

Repeat the above procedure on the second night.

The third night, take the pill when going to bed.

Doing all this, I found that I experienced little or no jet lag at all from day one.

Flying west was never a problem. Leaving Europe at noon, the plane would land in L.A. the same day in mid afternoon and it would just be a long day.

EBBE VIDERIKSEN
Santa Rosa, CA