Monday, January 9, 2012

The truth about jet lag

When people tell you about jet lag and warn you about jet lag, there is one very important part that they leave out. So I am here to set the record straight. 

Jet lag is as much about eating as it is about sleeping. 

I didn't notice this phenomenon too much when I arrived in July, I think because everything revolving around eating was so strange and new.  But I certainly noticed it going back in December. I was hungry- all the time. So I ate mini-meals every 3 hours those first few days.  Returning here this weekend I haven't been eating quite as much (hopefully my body is just working on using up some of its reserves from the holidays) but I am definitely hungry most all of the time.  Today, standing around the copy machine at work, I talked to two other teachers about this very thing. Both of them had been awake at 2 or 3am this morning starving- so they had gotten up, had breakfast, and gone back to sleep. Of course a second breakfast was then in order when they got up for school. 

When you think about it, the hunger thing makes complete sense. Our bodies are as programmed about when to eat as they are about when to sleep.  It's just that no one every talks about it.  So future travelers beware, and prepare to snack your way through your first few days.  And now, I am going to go back to my guava.

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