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How to beat jet lag

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With the holidays coming up many of us are going to spend some time in the air. And with each time zone we cross the more our bodies and minds will be affected by jet lag.

Normally your body clock operates on 24 hour cycles, but rapid time changes disrupt all that. The result is jet lag and the symptoms include fatigue, inability to sleep, lethargy, trouble concentrating and making decisions and irritability. 

While there are various ways to reduce the negative side effects of jet lag, people have been looking for something that has a more tangible effect. 

If that's you, you may consider taking pine bark extract for a few days before a long-haul flight. In studies, the pine bark extract Pycnogenol reduced problems associated with air travel such as swelling and blood clotting, and also reduced the brain-related symptoms of jet lag.

During the study 32 patients who took the Pycnogenol extract (50mg 3 x a day) scored 56% lower on a scale measuring jet lag symptoms like fatigue, grogginess and insomnia 48 hours after their flight, compared to the 30 controls.

Their symptoms also only lasted 18.2 hours, on average, while those participants who didn't take the extract had symptoms lasting an average of 39.3 hours.

Read more about the study and happy travels! 
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