Stress and Health Online Blog
Jet Lag Is Stressful!
I am writing this post from my trip to India as I try to cope with the stress of jet lag. I arrived last night on a business trip that will include a little sightseeing. The trip from Tampa to New Delhi is more than 7,000 miles and involves two planes. One of the plane rides takes more than 13 hours. It is a grueling trip to take alone, but there are many families who do it toting small children. I admire their patience!
For me, the trip is disorienting. This is my second journey to India. In general, it went better than the first trip, when I visited Gujarat province of India. The first trip took around 30 hours consisted of three plane trips and then a harrowing five hour highway drive before I reached the first hotel in Surat. I hardly slept on the long flight and by the time I reached Surat, I could hardly talk. For two days, I could have slept virtually anywhere. I was just that exhausted.
This current trip was much easier with just the two plane rides and no long highway drive. It was also easier because I was able to sleep better on the long flight, so I arrived last night better rested and able to stay conscious. However, I can tell that my body is pretty disoriented because I woke up before the sun rose refreshed after about five hours sleep. One of the most disorienting things about the trip here was that it was like one very long night. I left the United States in the dark Sunday night. I arrived in the dark on Monday night. I woke up this morning while it was still dark.
Seeing the sun rise is a rare event for me. It was beautiful, but I know that the jet lag is going to catch up with me soon. I will probably be ready for bed before dinner tonight. The last time that I was here the way that I coped was to just do my best to adjust to being pretty tired. It worked pretty well and was really my only choice give my lack of access to my favorite caffeinated beverages, iced tea and Diet Coke. I did not get too stressed about it. I felt pretty good by the end of the trip!
I am going to try that strategy today too, by just trying to realize that fatigue is normal. I will try to stay awake as long as possible to change my body’s clock to the new time zone.
What has been your worst experience of jet lag? How did you cope?
6 Responses to Sleepless in New Delhi: The Stress of Jet Lag
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That is an affliction which I have never experienced. Thankfully. While I no longer visit 10 cities in a week or 4 countries in four days, I do travel enough. And, have been able to cope due to my makeup.
May you recover promptly and completely. To enjoy your journey.
Roy A. Ackerman, Ph.D., E.A. @Cerebrations.biz RECENTLY POSTED..Standards…
Thanks Roy. You are a lucky person indeed. I have been jet lagged like a zombie during this trip! But I am just trying to go with it and not worry about it too much!
Wow, India! That’s pretty exotic. I’ve traveled to the other side of the planet too. The worst jet lag was coming back from New Zealand. Hours on the plane, changed in San Francisco, landed in Salt Lake and then drove home another 3 hours. It took me a week to recover! I just had to get through the best I could and on very little sleep for awhile.
Loran RECENTLY POSTED..Moonday Musings on Stress
Hi Loran,
Thanks for coming by. I think that having a drive at the end of a long trip like that is the worst. My last trip to India involved a long drive after we landed. It just gets more and more surreal as the drive continues. I think a week long recovery is pretty normal.
I haven’t been in a long haul flight before. My longest flight was only 8 hours. So I don’t think I have ever been in jet lag. How exciting your trip was..I mean aside from the jet lag..I love India, I think it’s exotic and beautiful.
Rina RECENTLY POSTED..Spring Inspires!
My trip was amazing! India is definitely exotic and beautiful, but the jet lag was stunning. I got used to it after a while. Thanks for coming by again Rina. It is good to catch up with you again.