Jet lag- how do you handle if?

[Newboomer]

As others stated-Always, always book at least 2 days in Africa before your pick up or hunt date. Allows seamless acclimatization to temps, allows your body's clock to adjust and gives you more time in Africa, smell, sounds, feeling and people. Also allows airlines to get your luggage to you if something is misplaced, lost or does not arrive.

Never done a safari without those days and many times it has saved me a possible nightmare. There are many low cost awesome places to stay in and around Joberg so extra costs in money are minimal.

MB

I live in NV and always take the redeye to JFK. I can sleep on a plane fairly well. I leave JFK about noon for Joburg. Doze or sleep off and on going over. Get to Joburg around mid morning next day. Catch an afternoon flight to Port Elizabeth. Usual bedtime that night and I'm fine for the duration.

Return trip is a PM flight to Joburg, redeye to JFK arriving next AM. PM flight to NV, usual bedtime at home and next day I'm back to normal, no aftereffects. Guess I'm one of the lucky ones unaffected by jet lag.

 

[Tundra Tiger]

I guess I need to pay closer attention... I don't remember any issues with my two trips. Picked up at the airport in Port Elizabeth... drive to the lodge... visit and catch up... check the rifles at the range... head to bed and start fresh in the morning.

 

[Buffalo1]

I have experienced worst jet lag as I have aged. Go earlier to allow body to acclimate to time change.

Why to pro golfers going to Great Britain 2 weeks in advance of the British Open- to acclimate to time change which affects the body actions.

 

[Newboomer]

I guess I need to pay closer attention... I don't remember any issues with my two trips. Picked up at the airport in Port Elizabeth... drive to the lodge... visit and catch up... check the rifles at the range... head to bed and start fresh in the morning.

I was met at P E airport by the outfitter, drove to the lodge, got settled in and then we went to the range to sight in. By then it was close to dinnertime, the usual visiting and in bed by 2100. Up at 0530, breakfast, and on with the hunt. The only problem I had was I would miss my first shot of the day for two days. Guess that was my adjustment period. After that, one shot kills.

 

[Mekaniks]

Slept yesterday... I will sleep again tomorrow ....

 

[cajunchefray]

Dear Lord, please let me make it through life without slapping a naked man on the ass telling him to “get up”. Amen

No THAT is some funny sh*t!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I can and often do go days on end without sleep. Finishing my PhD thesis to meet a deadline, I worked six days nonstop round the clock. Every fall I typically don't start the long drive to Montana until after midnight, usually around 3:00 a.m. I don't like dealing with traffic. Once I'm on four lanes in the prairie during daylight, traffic is no concern. I usually arrive at my favorite bird hunting grounds in Eastern Montana after 24 hours on the road. Then I jump right into chasing pheasants. Often spend one night in a local motel but if my trailer has been moved to deer hunting digs, the birds are thrown in the Jimmy at the end of the day and I'll drive the last two hours to campground.

Going to Africa I typically have an all night flight over the Atlantic. Rarely sleep more than an hour. For my third safari I picked up a pair of dollar store fold-up headphones. Best four bucks I ever spent! I can now actually hear the movies with hearing aids removed. My first trip over I tried a couple of remedies for restless leg syndrome that goes nuts at 30K ft: compression socks and lorazapam. The latter were emergency meds left over from 2010 when my wife and son died unexpectadly. It's the only thing I've found that neutralizes jumpy legs at night. But that pill did a lot more than neutralize my legs. By the time we landed at Heathrow my hunting buddy was leading me by the hand. And my legs were in so much pain I had to remove the compression socks. Forgot to put a extra pair in carryon and new hiking boots were killing my bare feet. By the time we hit Joberg the drug hangover had abated. But I got funny looks as I gingerly stepped into the police station like I was walking on hot coals. Since then I have learned to put up with jumpy legs and no sleep. Usually catch a few winks during the long layover in European airports. I'm always into Joberg early and the lodge has someone pick me up at PE when my connecting flight lands shortly after noon. We usually get to the lodge in time to quickly check my gun at the range. Then dinner and to bed. I'm ready to roll before daybreak next morning. I come to Africa to hunt not rest. I'll rest when breathing stops.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

On your flight 1or 2 ambiens at the time you plan on sleeping in the country your visiting in this case Zim which is CAT.

Lon

 

[UKHunter]

I travel a lot for work all over the world. Here is what I have found to help -

1. Dont drink alcohol on your journey
2. Drink lots of water during the flight
3. When you get to your destination, do some exercise and work up a sweat (hotel gym, go for a run, etc)
4. Try to sleep to match your destinations time zone, but you are going to get jet lagged, so if you want to sleep just sleep

 

[375Fox]

My work shift changes frequently and I fly every 14 days. Getting adjusted always takes a day or two. Getting home I’ve found the best thing to reset myself is waking up on morning and going outside even if I know I won’t last the whole day. Wherever you go waking up in morning on their time and seeing the sun is a big help getting adjusted. So is a hotel or staying in camp a day before the hunt starts.

 

[Altitude sickness]

The most natural way to reset your circadian rhythm
Your eye must absorb bright sunlight as early as possible in the day: this is also important for people living in the far north in the winter. Your clock can get screwed up in the winter. Early sunlight in the eyes helps maintain your clock.
This resets your circadian rhythm for the day. Aim for at least 10 minutes of sunlight, or 15 to 20 minutes if it's overcast or you're getting light through a window. Once you've shifted your schedule, be consistent with when you get this early light.

I use a combo of tricks above, I have never had an issue with Ambien. Many do, and it’s no joke. Test it before you leave.
I watch a movie or two. Or read a book. when I have approximately 10-12 hrs left I take 1 ambien pill. I wake up on my own in time to hit the head, brush my teeth, wash up and prepare for landing. I try to wake up as close to my new wake up time as practicable.

Going back west is more difficult for me. It takes me a week to reset the circadian clock.

 

[mdwest]

I have experienced worst jet lag as I have aged. Go earlier to allow body to acclimate to time change.

Why to pro golfers going to Great Britain 2 weeks in advance of the British Open- to acclimate to time change which affects the body actions.

I thought it was the great food and beautiful weather?

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

West to east, sleep for a long time, I can do 18 Hrs after a Vancouver to Harare leg.

From east to west, stay awake until you are ready to drop, then sleep undistirbed in a darkened room even if it is daylight. Try to sleep through to morning at the western end.

 

[Tucketed]

I fly to Asia or other 25-30hour travel flights 5-6 times a year and the same number to Europe for many years. I don’t really sleep since not in first class. I read, little naps and movies. If you land in AM do not take a nap, stay up, go outdoors to suck in as much sun as possible and collapse at normal bedtime. I find Ambiem extremely helpful for first and second evening.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

During my career as a petroleum engineer, I worked 5-1/2 years in Angola, Africa on a 28 days on, 28 days off work schedule. I flew the "Houston Express" between Houston and Luanda every 28 days. The flight left Houston around noon time and arrived Luanda around 8am the next day. A few days before leaving home, I went to bed earlier and got up about 3am US CT which is 9am Africa time. On the day I flew, right after take off, I would set my watch ahead to Africa time, which with noontime Houston departure put it at 6pm-ish. The first couple hours of the 14 hour flight I would stay awake, eat a meal and have a beer or two. Then go to sleep. By the time we landed in Luanda at 8am, cleared customs and took a short flight on a company plane to our final destination, it would be noon. We'd have a couple hours of meetings with the outgoing crew over lunch. Around 2pm, go take a shower and change and then worked until about 8pm and went to bed. The next couple days were a bit tough, especially afternoon meetings. Nodding off was a common problem.

The problem with most US commercial flights from the US to Africa are the late night departure times. Departing DFW, Houston, ATL or where ever at 10 or 11pm makes it tough to transition to local Africa time. You get on the plane at 10pm, take off, change your watch to Africa time and it's 3 or 4 am and you are tired and fall asleep. Given this, I usually book at least one night in a hotel, prior to starting a hunt.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Alcohol seems to screw up my sleep pattern no matter where I am. Guess it's an old age thing. On safari I MAY have one light beer in the evening. That's the limit or I'm up at 3:00 a.m. with racing heart and mind. Usually I drink orange juice and ginger ale cocktails. Man, the orange juice is fantastic over there!

 

[Rimbaud]

Lots of good advice here. I always try to relax on the plane, not drink, warily eye the grub, and consider myself on local time before wheels up. When landed, I get into the sun as quickly as possible and go for a walk, and hydrate like I have emerged from the desert. I always keep Nuun electrolyte tabs in my bag/dopp kit and try to stay up for the first day on the ground, and then go to bed early. If I am traveling on vacation, and have time, I often fly in a day or two early and stay in a nice hotel, book dinners at great restaurants, and let outfitters come and get me when I'm back on the hunting clock. This approach has worked every time for me except for an east coast US trip to Moscow. Got to the hotel outside the Kremlin, was escorted into my room, was magnetically pulled toward bed, and slept for 23 hours, which was Ok as we had scheduled buffer time in our schedules.

 

[sgt_zim]

Figured it out about 10 or 12 years ago when the missus and I went on our honeymoon to Venice, Italy.

IAH -> AMS ->VCE

Left about 5 in the afternoon from Houston, napped a little off and on to AMS, then dozed a little between AMS and VCE. Got to our hotel in Venice around 1PM, laid down around 2PM, slept about 4 hours, ate a good supper at about 7 or so, in bed by 10, up at 6 the next morning quite refreshed.

I don't think you need to be able to stay up for 30 or 35 hours, but you will need to be able to get through about 22 - 26 hours with very little sleep, then a nice long nap, no longer than 3 or 4 hours (set your alarm, you *will* want to sleep for 8 hours then if you can, but that'll throw you off), then up for 3 or 4, back to bed for a full 8.

We were up essentially for 24 straight hours, only cat-napping short periods during that time. Followed by 4 hours of sleep, 4 hours awake, then a full 8 hours sleep at night.

 

[CEO]

be advised.. ambien and alcohol dont mix.. 1 beer and 1 tablet will have you found in the aircraft toilet wearing nothing but your binos and RYO harness singing your favorite mariah carey tunes.. with zero memory of it when you wake up..

if you get a prescription for ambien DO NOT touch the booze while on the plane!

Don't threaten me with a good time




Staying up until the final destination bed time is how I've done it the few times needed.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Figured it out about 10 or 12 years ago when the missus and I went on our honeymoon to Venice, Italy.

IAH -> AMS ->VCE

Left about 5 in the afternoon from Houston, napped a little off and on to AMS, then dozed a little between AMS and VCE. Got to our hotel in Venice around 1PM, laid down around 2PM, slept about 4 hours, ate a good supper at about 7 or so, in bed by 10, up at 6 the next morning quite refreshed.

I don't think you need to be able to stay up for 30 or 35 hours, but you will need to be able to get through about 22 - 26 hours with very little sleep, then a nice long nap, no longer than 3 or 4 hours (set your alarm, you *will* want to sleep for 8 hours then if you can, but that'll throw you off), then up for 3 or 4, back to bed for a full 8.

We were up essentially for 24 straight hours, only cat-napping short periods during that time. Followed by 4 hours of sleep, 4 hours awake, then a full 8 hours sleep at night.

Awful lot of sleeping for a honeymoon. Just sayin'