Elderly passengers should always book same seat to avoid negative effects of flying
Sometimes there is no escaping the problem of jet lag with the further you travel the more of a nuisance it is to get rid of, especially for senior passengers.
Jet lag can be the downside of flying high. It’s an inevitable consequence of travelling across the world, and the further you fly, the worse it is.
The problem impairs cognitive functions, interferes with metabolic cycles, and ruins sleep patterns, which can be dangerous for elderly travellers. If there was a magic trick to beat it, everyone would be at it.
While there is no silver bullet to zap jet jag, there is a lot you can do to diminish its effects. Surprisingly, many of them can be done while in flight and an expert has shared how.
This is according to Dawn Morwood, a travel expert at Cheap Deals Away UK who knows a thing or two about how to get the most out of travelling.
It turns out one of the hacks is all to do with where you sit on a plane.
Choose your seat wisely:
Morwood added: "To sleep on the plane while flying economy, you're better off in a window seat. You only have a person who may disturb you on one side, you don't have to move for others to use the bathroom, and you can rest your head against the plane wall."
Utilise natural light:
A window seat also gives you access to natural light, which impacts your biorhythms. "So in a window seat you both rest better and let sunlight rouse you when you need it to," advises Morwood.
Don’t force it
Morwood said: “Some people just take jet lag on the chin and tough it out. Others use tricks like coffee, more coffee, vitamins, and various edibles. And then there’s John McClane making fists out of his toes in ‘Die Hard’ – but that’s another story!
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"My top tip is to adjust your circadian rhythms, your body's internal clock, gradually. You can do this by basically leaving your metabolism where it is. You stay on home time for as long as you can – certainly on the plane, then adjust."
Here’s how to implement the time zone sleep trick:
Stay on home time:
Morwood explained: "In the case of a longer trip, you should try to adjust your internal clock gradually, rather than forcing yourself to be awake when you would normally be asleep and vice-versa.
Sleep strategically:
She said: "One way to let yourself adjust more gradually is to sleep on the plane when you would be asleep at home.”
Proactive sleep adjustment
To maximise the effectiveness of this strategy, Morwood suggested: "If you're flying through a lot of time zones – maybe to the Far East or Australia – you can also start trying to match your sleep patterns with those at your far-off destination before you leave.
"That way you'll really lessen the impact of the adjustment you'll have to make when you land."
Combine this with sleeping on the plane in a well-chosen seat – perhaps an emergency door seat if you’re tall.
Morwood also suggested small tweaks such as staying hydrated, not drinking alcohol and sleep accessories such as a sleep mask, earplugs and comfortable clothes can make all the difference on a long flight and beating jet lag.
