Rupert Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Look, I don't know anybody who has been able to get over jet lag in two days, I'm sure there are a few, but in the last 6 years I haven't met any. What I am trying to say is that you just need to relax, go with the flow, and not expect to feel ok for another few days or so. Whether you want to listen to it or not, you have a natural body clock that will adjust. As someone who is actually in the medical field I would personally not prescribe sleeping tablets so early on, jet lag is not a medical condition. Herbal, over the counter remedies may be an option.... You're on a WHV, just take a few days to relax, kick back, jet lag cannot last forever.... I also agree with TP on this, you are stressing and making it even worse for yourself. I was jetlagged for best part of two weeks I think, getting up at 2am every day. Don't turn to (prescription) drugs, just go with the flow, sleep when you are tired, if you are not tired then do something else. It will right itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikki244 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I feel your pain!!! We have just got back from a trip to the UK...we have four young children who were up at all hours of the day and night, and sleeping at all the wrong times, so we had to adjust to their schedule and sleep when they slept and just wait for them to get back to normal. It took a week when we arrived in the UK, and now that we're back we've been back for a week, and last night was the first night they went to bed on time, and this morning was the first morning that they slept until a reasonable hour... I said to my husband that I don't want to do the trip ever again because I feel like we've wasted a couple of weeks just sleeping...maybe in a couple of years I'll have forgotten that awful shaky, sick, dizzy, fuzzy, jet-lagged feeling enough to do the trip again...but for now I'm happy to stay put. Hope you find a solution. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Shoes Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I just cannot sleep at all!! Not even a nap for more than a few hours. I went out shopping today but got so miserably exhausted I had to come home & now I'm too tired to go for dinner. Feel the same as Kazz just want to hug you, I don't sleep well, it's awful .... and people who can sleep just don't get it ..... Insomnia is an illness .... It sounds as if you are really suffering, jet lag is bad enough, but with insomnia thrown into the mix it just gets worse, really stressful ..... I would ask a pharmacist to prescribe you something (short term) as you don't need me to tell you sleeping tenets become habitual ..... also I found lavender oil helped me, I bought a low voltage diffuser from our local hippy shop & leave it on .... I also have a wheat heat pack which I warm up and sprinkle with lavender oil, and take to bed, cuddle it like a teddy bear, the warmth and the herbal essence should relax you .... It did me .... Plus you can use the diffuser for other essential oils around the house, better than air fresheners .... Mine is now vaporising peppermint ... good luck Hun, I do agree with others that it takes a good 5 to 7 days to get over jet lag, so please try to relax .... sleep will come ... annoying I know ..... when you want to kip and can't ..... Good luck x x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Ask them at the chemist they may be able to help. I find that traveling from UK to Aus I get more jet lag than going the other way, strange. I never sleep on planes either. Wish I could. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 No help at all to the OP, but fingers crossed, ive never suffered from jet lag. I'm a v nervous flyer, so sat listening to engine change noise, keeping an eye on air stewards etc, means I can't sleep lol. i know there is plenty of good advice out there as to what to do/not to do. I go with the what not to do, only cos it works for me, not saying anyone else should do it. i get diazepam from the docs, have a large G&T before boarding, take the offer of wine from hostess and job seems to be a good un. I arrive at destination, not remembering much about the flight but seem to hit the ground running with no side affects at all. the other side of the coin is I don't sleep we'll in general and know how awful it can be to just not be able to nod off. I've now given up on that too. Now just sleep when my body tells me too, even if it does mean having a nana nap in the afternoon. Def agree with LS though, lavender does help me as well to a degree and to her brill suggestions can I add the lavender range of bath/shower products from Lush. A bit pricey, but they work a treat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Do something physical that will tire you out and make you stop thinking about how bad you feel and how you should be able to go to sleep. Try going for a swim for an hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 Do something physical that will tire you out and make you stop thinking about how bad you feel and how you should be able to go to sleep. Try going for a swim for an hour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caramac Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I feel your pain!!! We have just got back from a trip to the UK...we have four young children who were up at all hours of the day and night, and sleeping at all the wrong times, so we had to adjust to their schedule and sleep when they slept and just wait for them to get back to normal. It took a week when we arrived in the UK, and now that we're back we've been back for a week, and last night was the first night they went to bed on time, and this morning was the first morning that they slept until a reasonable hour... I said to my husband that I don't want to do the trip ever again because I feel like we've wasted a couple of weeks just sleeping...maybe in a couple of years I'll have forgotten that awful shaky, sick, dizzy, fuzzy, jet-lagged feeling enough to do the trip again...but for now I'm happy to stay put. Hope you find a solution. I remember those days well!! I apologise if this is something you've already thought of but, one thing we found really helped when ours were little was making sure we booked flights that arrived in the afternoon/early evening. That way the girls could get over their excitement, but were still ready to go to bed at a reasonable time. They might wake early for the first couple of days, but it was much better than having a flight which got in earlier and having to keep them awake all day. I found that if they were over tired they slept much worse. We've done the flight 11 or 12 times since they were babies and it worked for us. Mind you, the idea of staying put is pretty good too!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VERYSTORMY Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I fly long haul a lot - live in Perth but work in east Africa. I recommend swimming. Preferably on a late afternoon / evening. Go to a local pool and swim as much as you can. Then head home, don't eat too much. But don't go to be hungry. Keep hydrated. In future, try, as others have said to get flights that go more overnight. I get the 10:30 pm flight from Perth and sleep on it. Then when you get to your destination, force yourself tonget into the local routine straight away. A big plus, that I think is worth every penny is business class flying as I can get decent sleep and arrive not bombed out from 48 hours of travel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I fly long haul a lot - live in Perth but work in east Africa. I recommend swimming. Preferably on a late afternoon / evening. Go to a local pool and swim as much as you can. Then head home, don't eat too much. But don't go to be hungry. Keep hydrated. In future, try, as others have said to get flights that go more overnight. I get the 10:30 pm flight from Perth and sleep on it. Then when you get to your destination, force yourself tonget into the local routine straight away. A big plus, that I think is worth every penny is business class flying as I can get decent sleep and arrive not bombed out from 48 hours of travel. The business class travel might be what makes the biggest difference :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 I am a terrible sleeper in general, and I did not sleep at all during my 24 flight and have had maximum of 2 hours sleep a night since. I've been walking around like a zombie the past few days & feel so disorientated I actually feel physically sick. I bought some over the counter sleeping aids today but I'm not feeling too positive about them, I took two valium on the plane & they did not work even a tiny bit. I'm going to go to a Medicare centre tomorrow to see if I can get just one sleeping pill, anyone else suffered like this? I know it should past for most people but last time I felt like this I had to take time off work, was prescribed antidepressants and spent most of the day crying. Cannot afford to be like this now!! Nothing worked, the doctor eventually suggested that I should be hypnotised but I was too skeptical... Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Xx It will pass eventually. I was like that in NZ, I was physically sick though and disorientated. I was going to sleep at 11pm and waking up again at 2am. it will pass you just have to endure it....you need to go out for walks during the day, try and eat small meals and go to sleep at 9pm. Try to sleep anyway. Do not drink alcohol. Just keep your chin up it feels **** now but it'll pass in a week hopefully less than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summerhill Posted June 11, 2013 Share Posted June 11, 2013 You are perhaps a little over anxious about the jet lag , which is understandable considering you have a history of insomnia . It will help if you try to put it in perspective though .What you are currently experiencing is just jets lag and not an acute increase in you insomnia for no unknown reason. Your normal sleep patterns will gradually return , but it can take up to 10 days, so try not to stress (some people say expect it to take a day for every hour change in time zone) in the mean time try to eat a healthy diet at correct times for time zone you are currently in , get out and about in daylight as much as you can as being exposed to sunlight will help reset your body clock . If you are awake overnight do not be tempted to get to active and start doing stuff , but I would say get up if you are awake around 6am and start your day . Aussies get out and about early so depending on where you are in Oz you should be able to go for a walk to your local cafe by 7am. if you see other people out and about you may not feel so bad. If you feel you really need some help to sleep get some dozile or restavit Over the counter from chemist and take for a few nights, these have knocked me out in the past. They do cause you to have a dry mouth though so drink plenty. Try to avoid prescription sedatives though , it is with good reason that GPs are reluctant to prescribe benzodiazepines , they are highly addictive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghostgirl Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 I think next time I will pay a bit more to fly business class, part of my problem on the plane was being unable to sleep in the seats!! I guess I have been really anxious about this due to my usual sleep problems, bad bouts of insomnia really do put your life on hold & I just really can't afford that now. Yesterday was the first day that I felt okay-ish, went swimming in that beautiful new pool in Surrey Hills and even though I was absolutely exhausted in the day I went for big walks so I wasn't able to just run home to nap, seems to have helped a bit but I still woke up so many times in the night! I think I'll have sleep issues forever but it's reassuring to hear from others in the same boat so thank you very much guys xxx you are real sweethearts x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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