CONQUORING JET LAG
The lifestyle of the elite tennis professional: so glamorous!
ยทFlying first class and arriving in each new city refreshed and alert.
You're Dreaming! What is wrong with this Picture?
The reality of a non-professional athlete traveling life is more like this:
- Being crammed into a transportation with too many heavy bags.
- Rushing to catch the last flight out after your match or game
- Getting harassed about excess luggage.
- Being squashed in the middle seat.
- A cross-Atlantic trip with departure delays.
- Food not suitable for an athlete and not enough of it.
- On arrival it's another fifty minutes through traffic to the hotel.
- Then go to your practice with a slight headache and feel slow, tired, bad tempered and disoriented.
Recognize this picture?
You have experienced the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour players' travel companion: JET LAG.
Why do we get Jet Lag?
- Traveling across time zones upsets your body's internal time clock.
- This clock sets the peak times for your mind and body.
- Your mental alertness, temperature, strength and flexibility all fluctuate over 24 hours.
- These natural "circadian" rhythms are disrupted by long distance travel.
- The more time zones you cross, the greater the disruption.
- It can take up to one week to recover from traveling across five time zones or more. (USA to Western Europe is a minimum of five time zones.)
- Traveling eastwards, when the day is shortened, is more stressful on the body, compared with westward travel when the day is lengthened. (e.g. You will feel more jet lag flying to Australia than you will on your return to Europe.)
Jet Stress
Jet stress is due to the cramped space, noise, altered diet and dehydrating effect of air travel.
Jet stress adds to jet lag.
- Dehydration: The dry aircraft environment can cause fluid loss of about 300ml an hour. That is one large glass of water, just from sitting there!
- Results of jet lag include being tired, sleeping poorly and maybe headaches or an upset stomach.
- Your competition performance decreases due to lower concentration, slower reaction times and mood changes like irritability.
Jet lag will always occur to some extent with across-time zone traveling.
The good news is that the symptoms of jet lag can be minimized.
Make your next trip a pleasant experience.
Arrive at your next event feeling refreshed, alert and ready to play.
Reduce jet lag and prepare for improved performance upon arrival
Try these practical steps next time you fly:
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The contents of the Game, Set, Health site, are for informational purposes only and should not be treated as medical, psychiatric, psychological, health care or health management advice. The materials herein are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this site. Reliance on any information provided herein is solely at your own risk.
