Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. How come? Here are some ways airplane travel can affect your body, and some preparations you can make to have the healthiest travel experience possible. Goldman says. Then you get on the plane, where you may be scrunched in an uncomfortable seat and rubbing elbows with strangers.
It can all be one continuous test of your patience. What you can do: Plan ahead as much as possible to minimize stress. Airplane cabins have very low humidity levels, Dr. Goldman explains, because about 50 percent of the air circulating in the cabin is pulled from the outside, and at high altitudes the air is almost completely devoid of moisture.
This might cause your throat, nose and skin to feel dry. What you can do: To stay hydrated, pack an empty water bottle in your carry-on that you can refill after going through security and take with you on the plane,. Burnout could be headed your way! Breaks are important; in work but also in life. When we travel, our daily schedules and routines change.
That is inevitable. On planes. In taxis. On overnight trains or buses. If our body is the phone then sleep is the charger and a bed is the plug socket in the wall. Go out for a run, or even a walk when possible. Doing some volunteer work is already popular among the backpacking community and it can really help soothe the soul and make you feel great about yourself. As a side effect, this is a great way to avoid burnout. Both laughing and making other people laugh give you one of the best feelings imaginable.
Surrounding yourself with positive and funny people can be infectious when it comes to your mood and outlook on life. You can afford to do this when travelling slower. Not every day has to be filled with a million tourist attractions. This will help you recharge and keep your energy up to make the most of the experiences and adventures you do have.
Avoiding travel fatigue involves recognising the causes and the symptoms and then implementing measures and habits to prevent it from happening. Having someone to help you out can give you a massive boost and will help you to avoiding that feeling of being tired of traveling. Backpacking - like anything else in life - has its ups and downs. But by managing to avoid burnout on the road, you can enjoy the ups more and limit the downs as much as possible.
Author: Jamie is an avid traveller and has been backpacking since he left high school in He is the founder of the backpacking and budget travel blog, Gaijin Crew, which aims to teach aspiring backpackers to travel on a student budget and make long-term, extended travel a reality. Where do you want to go? Got a booking for more than 10 of you? Check out group options. Tired of Traveling?
There are two main causes of travel burnout when it comes to backpacking and living life on the road: 1. For travel lasting more than a few days, minimizing jet lag requires acclimating to the day-night cycle at your destination. The following sections address methods of reorienting your circadian rhythm and practical tips for reducing jet lag. Light is the most powerful influence on circadian rhythm, and strategic light exposure may help adjust your internal clock to avoid or reduce jet lag.
The effect on circadian rhythm depends on the level and timing of light exposure. Sunlight has the highest level of illumination and the strongest circadian effects. Different types of artificial light can also influence circadian timing to a lesser degree. At certain times, light exposure can either advance or delay your internal clock.
Properly timed periods of both daylight and darkness can help sync your circadian rhythm with local time.
When access to natural light is limited, light therapy lamps, also known as lightboxes, can deliver bright light exposure with greater circadian influence. Melatonin is a hormone that the body produces that helps to both make you feel sleepy and govern your circadian rhythm. Melatonin is normally produced in the evening, a few hours before bedtime, but this schedule can get thrown off by jet lag.
Other types of sleeping pills , including prescription and over-the-counter drugs and natural sleep aids, may help you fall asleep or stay asleep, but they do not work to change your circadian rhythm.
In some cases, they may even mask an ongoing case of jet lag. Sleep aids can have side effects, including a heightened risk of falls and accidents if they increase drowsiness.
Some methods of preventing jet lag are based on modifying your sleep schedule in the days leading up to your trip so that when you arrive at your destination there is less of a discrepancy between your circadian rhythm and the local time. In addition to changing your bedtime, this approach often involves carefully timed melatonin and light exposure to proactively alter your circadian rhythm.
While this approach may be beneficial in some cases, it may not be practical depending on your daily schedule, and professional, family, and social obligations. The optimal plan to avoid jet lag depends on many factors including the direction of your flight, the number of time zones crossed, how long you will remain at your destination, and your schedule and obligations during your trip.
Taking these factors into account, you can create a personalized plan to reduce jet lag. Light and melatonin together can help you realign your circadian rhythm, but without proper timing, they can exacerbate rather than reduce jet lag. A doctor, travel nurse, or sleep specialist may be available to help you prepare a plan for managing jet lag. Several online resources and apps can help you generate tailored schedules to help reduce jet lag based on your trip detaails.
A number of practical tips for before, during, and after your flight can help reduce sleep disruptions and travel fatigue so that you make the most of your trip. Eric Suni has over a decade of experience as a science writer and was previously an information specialist for the National Cancer Institute. His research and clinical practice focuses on the entire myriad of sleep disorders. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly.
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It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. The Sleep Foundation editorial team is dedicated to providing content that meets the highest standards for accuracy and objectivity.
Our editors and medical experts rigorously evaluate every article and guide to ensure the information is factual, up-to-date, and free of bias. Updated February 8, Written by Eric Suni. Medically Reviewed by Dr. Abhinav Singh. What Are the Symptoms of Jet Lag?
What Causes Jet Lag? What Is Jet Lag? The most common symptoms of jet lag include: Sleeping problems: It may be hard to fall asleep when you want to, or you may wake up earlier than planned.
Jet lag can also cause sleep to be fragmented. Daytime sleepiness: Jet lag frequently causes you to feel drowsy or tired during the day. Impaired thinking: You may experience problems with attention or memory or simply feel like your thinking is slowed.
Hampered physical function: Your body may feel tired, and peak physical performance may be affected, which is especially notable for traveling athletes. Emotional difficulties: Some people with jet lag feel irritable, and evidence indicates that jet lag can exacerbate mental health problems , such as mood disorders. General malaise: Jet lag may make you feel malaise , which is a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness Stomach problems: Jet lag can induce gastrointestinal problems like reduced appetite, nausea, or even constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
Sleep paralysis and seizures: In rare circumstances, jet lag may impact sleep architecture which may increase the risk of sleep paralysis and nighttime seizures. Multiple factors influence the likelihood and severity of jet lag: Trip details: The total distance, amount of layovers, time zones crossed, direction of travel, local daylight hours, length of time at the destination, and other specifics of a trip can affect jet lag.
Arrival time: When you arrive at your destination may affect your circadian rhythm. For eastward travel, some evidence indicates that jet lag is reduced with afternoon arrivals compared to those in the early morning. People over 60 experience circadian changes that can make it harder for them to recover from jet lag , but some research in pilots found jet lag to be worse in younger people. Stress: Being stressed-out can keep the mind and body on-edge in ways that interfere with sleep and make it harder to cope with jet lag.
Use of alcohol and caffeine: Many people drink alcohol and coffee during flights, and these substances affect the brain in ways that can disrupt sleep. Past history of jet lag: People who have previously had jet lag are prone to have it again. Sign up below for your free gift. Your privacy is important to us. Was this article helpful? Yes No. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , June Oxford University Press.
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