Rest turned into disease >>>> How does jet lag affect health?

How does jet lag affect health?

Travel and recreation usually involve moving from one time zone to another, or even crossing several time zones in a short period of time. But does a person think about what the change in the time difference can turn into, which translates the usual rhythm of life "on other rails." Changing time zones is not a harmless situation due to the fact that the human body lives according to a certain rhythm set by nature and all physiological processes are tied to this rhythm. This biological rhythm is called the "internal biological clock", which subconsciously controls the daily routine of a person. They set the circadian rhythm life (daily), which is developed in humans gradually, depending on the length of daylight hours. When moving from one time zone to another, daylight hours increase or decrease depending on which direction to move: from east to west or from west to east.

The mechanism of action of the biological clock is regulated by the central nervous system: the visual receptors of the eye capture the amount of light coming from outside and transmit the corresponding signal to the hypothalamus, which controls the endocrine system, which produces hormones through which the work of certain systems or organs is regulated.

The body's adaptive capabilities allow rebuilding biological rhythms, but this takes time, and travelers, as a rule, do not have enough time to stay longer in a certain time zone, because you really want to visit many places in a short vacation time.

If the biological clock comes into conflict with a person's mode of life, then a malfunction (desynchronosis) occurs, which brings painful symptoms to the general state of the body.

During the waking period, there is:

drowsiness,
weakness,
lethargy,
loss of appetite,
dizziness or headache,
low pressure.

During sleep:

insomnia appears,
pressure rises,
the activity of digestive enzymes increases (more hydrochloric acid is secreted into the stomach, etc.),
the nerve centers responsible for thought processes and motor activity are excited.

But this is all on the surface. More significant violations occur imperceptibly for a person: the endocrine system begins to produce hormones at the wrong time, when adrenaline is needed for wakefulness - there is no adrenaline, when it is time for sleep, instead of melatonin, adrenaline is produced, which prevents sleep, causing excitement of the nervous system, increasing the level of blood pressure accelerating metabolic processes. The cardiovascular system begins to experience overload in the period of time in which it is used to being in a balanced state. Insulin production starts too soon, and the immune system does not have time to build defense mechanisms in time. The thyroid gland, adrenal glands, pancreas, liver, kidneys begin to function inappropriately.

The failure of the biological rhythm will result in:

Diseases of the nervous system, accompanied by loss of vitality, nervousness, nervous overstrain, nervous breakdowns, depression;
Loss of sleep for an unstable psyche can be the impetus for the development of some smoldering psychosomatic disorders;
Diseases of the digestive system: dyspepsia, gastritis, colitis, peptic ulcers, disorders of enzymatic activity;
Endocrine diseases: diabetes mellitus, imbalance in the function of the thyroid and parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, liver, menstrual cycle failure;
Cardiovascular disorders: hypertension, hypotension, increased eye pressure, impaired cerebral circulation;
Inadequate immune responses, delayed at the time of resistance to viral and bacterial attacks, or overly active - with the development of persistent allergies.

Usually , children begin to suffer more from desynchronosis , because they are accustomed to a rigid daily routine. The next category of susceptible to desynchronosis is people with chronic diseases, who can have rather long periods of remission. The already precarious state of remission will be disrupted and the disease will make itself felt. The least susceptible to desynchronosis are young people with an unstable daily routine (let's say: they are more trained) and people over 60 years old, when their biological rhythms are already disrupted due to various diseases and the side effect of drugs.

To make it easier to tolerate desynchronosis, start rebuilding your daily and night routine long before the move is due (1-4 weeks). The schedule for taking medications must be adjusted in consultation with the doctor (this is especially true for taking medications to correct blood pressure, antidepressants, hypnotics, diuretics). Stop getting addicted to coffee or alcohol so that your body can regulate sleep and wakefulness on its own. When you arrive in a different time zone, set aside time to sleep, rather than rush out to sightseeing. In order for the body to adapt painlessly, it needs a period of relaxation, and not a load in the form of exploring the mountainous terrain, a trip to the pyramids in the heat, overeating, and so on. Rest should begin with passive forms of entertainment: contemplation, spa treatments, massage.