Beware! Jet Lag Can Increase Cancer Risk; Know How To Overcome It

Know how jet lag can affect your health and about the ways to overcome them here in this article.

Monday, December 11, 2017, 17:57

If you are a frequent flier, then you might be a victim of jet lag. Well, there are few people for whom jet lag gets severe, but, at the same time, there are those lucky ones too who do not get affected.

Jet lag is very common among those who travel abroad and long distance to a different time zone. When the internal body clock gets disrupted due to a change in the time zone, this can cause jet lag.

Amidst all these, a new study has come up with a finding which says that frequent travelling that causes jet lag could increase the risk of cancer.

According to the study, this happens because, it tends to disturb the body clocks that are controlled by the same mechanism, which causes tumours.

The researchers pointed out that the internal body clocks have a major influence on cell multiplication and this has the potential to prevent cancer.

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The internal clock is in sync with the external light and dark cues, and prompts people's behaviour and activity levels. So, when this internal clock gets disturbed, then it can trigger cancer risk.

For the study, the researchers had analyzed a protein known as RAS, which is inappropriately activated in around one-quarter of cancerous cells, in mice.

RAS which controls cell multiplication in the body also influences people's internal body clocks or circadian rhythm.

In addition to cancer risk, changes in the biological clock have also been known to increase the risk of heart diseases and diabetes too.

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The study was recently published in the journal PLOS Biology.

Meanwhile, we have listed here a few ways in which you can get rid of jet lag quickly. Take a look.

1. Stay Hydrated:

Keeping your body hydrated when you are travelling is essential to prevent jet lag. The air pressure inside the cabin and lack of humidity can easily dehydrate your body.

Hence, drinking plenty of water or even lemon water while you are on the flight as well as after travelling helps in keeping your body hydrated and in preventing jet lag.

2. Limit Caffeine & Alcohol:

Caffeinated and alcoholic drinks can dehydrate your body easily. Limiting your intake of caffeine and alcoholic drinks just before you are travelling and during the flight can help in preventing dehydration and jet lag.

3. Take Regular Walks:

If you are travelling for long distances in the flight, you need to get up and move at regular intervals, stretch you arms, legs and neck. This helps in preventing poor blood circulation, which is one of the major causes for jet lag in case of a few people. Doing this also prevents the swelling of legs, muscle strain and pain.

4. Use Of Sleeping Aids:

Travelling can be extremely tiring, especially if you are travelling overnight and long distance. So, in such circumstances, it is highly important to get a good sleep as you travel.

This helps in providing relaxation and prepares the body to fight jet lag symptoms. In order to get a good sleep, using sleeping aids like blindfolds and ear plugs to block the light and noise, or even using neck rests and blow-up pillows can help.

5. Take A Shower:

Taking a shower after you reach your destination is one of the best ways to get rid of a jet lag. If you have reached the destination late at night, then make sure you go for a hot shower.

This helps in providing a relaxation to the sore muscles and once the body temperature drops after a warm shower, this makes you sleepy and relaxed.

6. Use Light Clothes:

Whenever you are travelling, especially long distances, make it a point to wear loose, light and comfortable clothes. Since the temperature inside the airplane keeps fluctuating and also the dry air inside the cabin can make you itchy and uncomfortable, if you wear tight clothes it would be pretty hard to manage.

So, in order to avoid any kind of a jet lag or nausea, it is important to wear comfortable clothes.