For the long haul traveler, jet lag is a bitch. There’s just no easy way to reorient your body clock, especially as you get older. But there are things you can do to alleviate the symptoms and acclimate to your new time zone with greater ease.

The International Herald Tribune story In Halting Jet Lag, Timing is Everything focuses on the idea that light makes the biggest difference in a traveler’s ability to quickly get over jet lag. The story highlights on the online Jet Lag Advisor tool from British Airways. You enter details about your normal sleep habits and the time difference you’ll experience on your next trip, and the advisor tells you when to avoid light and when to soak it in.

Why is light so important? Here’s what the Jet Lag Advisor has to say:

Jet lag occurs when the body clock is disrupted by crossing a number of time zones. The symptoms can include fatigue, disorientation and an inability to sleep….

Light is important because it is one of the primary cues that the body clock uses to maintain it’s link with the outside world….

Avoidance of light at certain times is also an important cue to the body clock to help you recover more swiftly from the effects of crossing time zones….

Read more about jet lag on British Airways page Your Body Clock.

British Airways Jet Lag Advisor