Jet lag – Cause and Management
[audio:http://aviationenglishblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/05jetlag.mp3|titles=Jet lag – Causes and Management]Jet lag – Cause and Management
Also called desynchronosis, jet lag is a medical condition that occurs as a result of air travel across countries in different time zones in a short period of time. This is different from air sickness which is nausea experienced by some people every time they travel by air.
Some of the common symptoms of jet lag include headache, fatigue, insomnia, disrupted sleep pattern, irritability and digestive trouble.
The body can tell the time of the day with the help of specific signals that are received by the senses. For example, the optic nerve in the eyes receives information about the amount of light or darkness outside and transmits this to the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that controls various bodily functions like temperature, hunger, thirst and sleep as well.
When the eyes perceive darkness (sunset) the hormone melatonin is released in the body. This hormone promotes sleep. When the sun rises and there is light, the hypothalamus receives this information and reduces the amount of melatonin that is being produced. In addition to sleep patterns, there are other circadian rhythm patterns like hunger, thirst and bowel movement that are linked.
1) What is desynchronosis? a) Air Sickness b) Jet Lag c) Air sickness and Jet Lag d) None of the above 2) Which organ controls sleep in the body? a) Entire brain b) Eyes c) Hypothalamus d) Optic Nerves 3) What controls the intensity of the jet lag in individuals? a) Time of travel during the day b) How comfortable your travel is c) What you eat during the flight d) The time zones that you cross and direction of travel 4) Who is likely to suffer from a jet lag? a) Person travelling from Spain to South Africa b) Person traveling from Canada to China 5) What can help relieve jet lag symptoms? a) Break in your journey b) Preparing your body for travel ahead of time c) Drinking large amounts of water and keeping yourself hydrated d) All of the above
Answers 1) B 2) C 3) D 4) B 5) D Another problem that may occur is the Air Rage, click here and know a little more about it!