What does "jet lagged" mean?

Question

What does "jet lagged" mean?

Answer 1

The above are correct.

Also the term came from the fact that jet engines made it possible to fly such long distances at high speeds.

Answer 2

Jet lag is a condition marked by fatigue, insomnia, and irritability that is caused by air travel through changing time zones.

Answer 3

Our bodies run on a 25 hour cycle, known as a "circadian rhythmn".  This rhythmn is also linked to day/night cycles, so when your body is used to it being "day" serotonin levels drop.  Opposite for night-this is how the body signals, "I'm sleepy/time to sleep".  However, if you arrive at a destination several hours ahead, i.e. it's "night" you feel literally out of sync.  Symptoms are sleeplessness, decreased ability to concentrate, irritability.  Because of this, GENERALLY it's less noticeable flying westbound than eastbound.   As you're moving with the sun.

Rule of thumb is one day for each hour difference.  Some people have found that taking serotonin tablets helps, personally I just gut it out, knowing that fatigue will assist resetting my body clock...

Answer 4

it means your day/night rythm is out of pace because you travelled a long distance from/to another time zone (like 12 hours difference means if its time to go to bed where you come from you arrive some time during the morning)....  basically just means you cant sleep when you should or you have to sleep during the day because of that...

Answer 5

Another explanation.......if you fly from New York to California and you land at 9PM California time, it will actually feel like 12AM (to you)......so you'll want to go to bed.....when it's not quite bedtime.

On your return trip....you land at 11PM New York time, however, now you are on California time, so it feels like 8PM, so while everyone is going to bed...you're wide awake.