Sleepless in Bangkok
Medicinal herbs such as arnica, high-tech lighting glasses, alternative medicine, hormones or drugs Psycho: Which means really helps jet lag?
Whether we land in Bangkok, Sydney or Los Angeles home when the sun goes down, we are in the distance half the night awake or drag us through the days. What really helps with jet lag?
If it were up to the pineal gland, we would take the train to Thailand. Then they could comfortably switch production of melatonin on the new time. The plane you are traveling too fast. Whether we land in Bangkok, Sydney or Los Angeles, undeterred she then pours from the sleep hormone, when the sun goes down at home. And we lie awake half the night in the distance or drag us through the days.
The availability of antidotes is diverse. Popular assistants are gentle with botanicals, for example "No Jet Lag" - tablets from New Zealand, which also contain arnica and chamomile. Homeopaths swear on beads with Cocculus, the dried fruit of the Scheinmyrte. Some travelers access to a recommended six Schuessler salts. Acupressure also on hands, feet and earlobes to harmonize the energy pathways
But experts dampen the hope: "A proven effect, however, has none of these agents," said Dr. Tomas Jelinek, among other things, an internist and director of the Centre for Travel Medicine in Dusseldorf: "Perceived improvement is probably most likely to be a placebo effect." It is shown that artificial melatonin can fight jet lag.
Taken half an hour before bedtime, it makes just as tired as the body's hormones. "However, it takes with it in the hormonal balance, which in principle is problematic, and side effects can occur such as headache or restlessness," Jelinek points out.
Who wants to try the remedy nevertheless, the tablets should get abroad, preferably in U.S. drugstores with a dose higher than 0.5 mg per tablet (price: 100 tablets by about U.S. $ 10). "Prescription free Melatonin from German pharmacies is dosed either too low, or it looks too slow for jet lag," says Jelinek. Of other sleeping pills as an alternative to the Medizner advises: "Do not bring restful sleep phases."
Anyone traveling to the West, has the opposite problem: He needs to keep growing, even though the internal clock is set to sleep. Many Americans can prescribe in the case Ritalin or Provigil, which are used for example in patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). "Both are highly effective drugs and inappropriate jet lag, the disease is not so," says Tomas Jelinek. This can have serious side effects. A harmless stimulant is light. The Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia, has developed a "re-Timer light therapy glasses" with LED lights. You should aim at three days and are worn for one day for 50 minutes before the flight and irradiated eyes with a special green light.
Again, the effect is not clearly demonstrated. "But you will not outlandish," says Jelinek. However, the glasses with 219 euros worth probably only for frequent flyers.
Cheaper is light therapy with Jelinek Tip. "Take charge upon arrival the rhythm spot, and go in the first days outside a lot" That daylight helps jet lag, experiments with high-performance athletes have demonstrated. At the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, further tests are planned.
And if despite all the tiredness is too big? "Then do not keep two hours nap," warns expert, "20 minutes power nap help too." Who difficulties, then get up again, you should first have a coffee: "Caffeine takes about 20 minutes to be effective then you are awake.."
