Health Watch is a Public Service of the Office of News and Publications and is intended to provide general information only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional. You should contact your physician if you have questions about any of these topics.
This week on Healthwatch, we're talking about healthy travel. Previously, we discussed how important vacations are for recharging ourselves. You can even vacation at home and get benefits. But what if you do travel? Changing time zones can mess up your sleeping habits, causing you to feel anything but well-rested when you return from vacation.
Dr. John Herman, a sleep disorders expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center, has a three-step plan for beating jet lag. First, as you travel, take 6 milligrams of melatonin when it's 11:30 p.m. in your destination time zone. Second, when you arrive, get into the sunlight as soon as possible. Last, take another 3 milligrams of melatonin an hour before bedtime. The combination of melatonin and sunlight should help reset your body clock. Repeat the process during your return trip home.
Next: keeping safe on car trips.
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June 2005
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