Does anyone know the way to reduce jet lag using Melatonin supplements?

[CTyankee]

I read something about it somewhere a while back and need to know for my May trip to Europe. I recall that you were supposed to start taking the Melatonin in advance of your trip and going to bed earlier (later?)...help!

[skater314159]

1. Take the Melatonin 20 mins before going to sleep...

... I find the 1mg drops by Natrol work best... but there are 3mg pills available also. You can get them at your neighbourhood Rite-Aid or Walgreen's for a reasonable price. The good thing about the liquid is it's easier to adjust the dosage, and the bottle of drops is small enough for you to carry on the plane in your bag.

Anyway, start about a week before your trip and take them 20 Mins before you want to go to sleep... I go to bed earlier than usual, and get up whenever I wake up, which helps your body slowly get closer to being in sync to the time of Europe.

When is your flight? If it is during a time when (on Europe time) you want to be asleep, then take your drops before take-off, so that you will awake upon almost getting to wherever you're going.

Another thing, it's REALLY important the first day in Europe you take your drops when it becomes bed-time there... don't be tempted to stay up because there is so much to see and check out (a danger for any visitor!) and get yourself outta bed in the morning - set and alarm and take a nice shower to help wake yourself up.

Hope that helps!

Enjoy Europe, and be sure to get some pics to share with us!
skater pi

[Radio_Lady]

2. I tried that once in the 1980s when melatonin was touted to help.

We were in Boston and going to France, with an immediate transfer to a flight to Israel.

I set my alarm clock for an EARLIER hour -- 4 AM and then 3 AM for a couple of days, going to sleep earlier.

When I got to Israel, I still felt pretty buzzy headed and needed a couple of hours of rest.

Best of luck,

Radio Lady

PS. I think it was one of the pilots on here who had some other suggestions.

[Radio_Lady]

3. Here is the thread, CTyankee. You will find lots of information in it:

Help! Looking for any suggestions on "How to Avoid Jet Lag" -- can you add to this conversation? (Archived thread)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=6465146

Hope this helps!

Cordially,

Radio Lady in Hawaii

[Redstone]

4. Take the melatonin with numerous adult beverages.

Redstone

[AlCzervik]

5. i never have but i make i drink a lot of water on the plane, imo that helps.

just keep hydrated and your jet lag won't be so bad, also i set my watch to the same time as my destination when i get on the plane. Water, water, water and no booze has never failed me.

[mwooldri]

6. I don't know about Melatonin but going to Europe...

... best thing to do IMO is to get as much sleep as you possibly can whilst on the plane going there, and a nap before you fly is also advisable. It'd be hard in coach to get some decent sleep but it's not impossible. Normally what I do with my trip is get to bed as soon as I can getting over there and have a 2-3 hour nap. I then get up and spend the rest of the day awake, usually groggy and then go to bed at a normal time. The next day I'm usually OK thereafter.

Coming back is easy... you leave in the morning and you get back home in the afternoon.

Mark.