Fly Naturally to Avoid Jet Lag.

You've just flown across four time zones, and now you only wish you could crash (fall asleep, that is). But your body doesn't believe the luminescent "11:45 P.M." on the digital clock in your hotel room. It's convinced that the correct time is 7:45 p.m.
Not only that, but you're beginning to realize that tomorrow, after the stress of travel and a major bout of sleep deprivation, you'll probably feel headachy, exhausted, and cranky and have the attention span of a 2-year-old.
In short, you'll have jet lag.
Better take a sleeping pill while there's still time, right? Maybe not, says Martin Moore-Ede, M.D., Ph.D., former professor of physiology at Harvard University and president of Cireadian Technologies in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "You'll probably only make things worse for yourself," he says.

That's because sleeping pills can cause a hangover, a leftover dose of daytime grogginess from the sedating medication. Since you haven't dealt with one of the main causes of jet lag a disruption of your body's internal clock, which regulates your sleep-wake cycle taking a sleeping pill might make it even harder fur you to fall asleep tomorrow night. Instead of a sleeping pill, says Dr. Moore-Ede, you might want to consider non drug methods to prevent or clear up the symptoms of jet lag.

LIGHT:
The "clock" in your brain is a tiny group of cells called the suprachiasmatic nuclei, or SCN. It's set by being exposed to bright light, Dr. Moore-Ede says. Thus, if you travel from east to west, try to get a dose of bright light in the evening. Taking a walk outside for about an hour is the simplest way. That will help delay your sleep-wake cycle, allowing you to go to bed and wake up later.
If you travel from west to east, go for that walk for an hour or two in the morning, which will help shift your body to an earlier bedtime.

MELATONIN:
The natural hormone melatonin can also help reset the sleep-wake cycle, says Beverly Yates, N.D., a naturopathic physician and director of the Natural Health Care Group in Seattle.
But the typical per-pill dose of most products—1 to 5 milligrams—is way too much, she says. She recommends looking for a 500-microgram (0.5 milligram) supplement, and starting to take it the day before your trip.
"When you're traveling, melatonin can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply," Dr. Yates says. Take this supplement only under the supervision of a knowledgeable medical doctor.

FOOD:
"A week to 3 days before they travel from a cold to a warm climate, I advise my patients to start eating more of the foods that they'll find at their destination, such as mangoes and papayas/' says Dr. Yates.

Eating in this way helps the body adapt more quickly to the new climate and reduces the symptoms of jet lag, she says.
"Changing your diet to that of your destination tells your body that it is about to experience a change. By taking the changes in pieces rather than all at once, you can ease the shock of significant shifts in eating, sleeping, and general well-being. This technique helps smooth the transitions and stresses that travel can introduce," says Dr. Yates.
You'll also want to prepare for your return trip. "A day or two before you're about to return, start eating as you will when you get home," says Dr. Yates

WATER: Stay Hydrated
Many of the symptoms of jet lag are really "wet lag," or dehydration. "The air in airplanes is extremely dry, so you should drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration," says Dr. Moore-Ede. He recommends 1 liter (about 34 ounces) of water for every 6 hours of flying.
Also, don't drink coffee or alcohol en route, he says. They're diuretics,
which flush water out of your body.

HOMEOPATHY: Arnica Softens Those Bruising Seats
Sitting for hours in the cramped space of an airplane seat can beat up your body. To feel less achy, stiff, and bruised after a long flight, take the homeopathic remedy Arnica, says Dr. Yates. Take three tablets of the 30C potency three times a day, beginning the day before your flight and continuing on the day you fly and the day after.