Which condition is prevented by being rested, adopting local time, avoiding alcohol, and using caffeine when traveling west?

Which condition is prevented by being rested, adopting local time, avoiding alcohol, and using caffeine when traveling west?

• A. Circadian Dysrhythmia (Jet Lag)
• B. Seasonal Affective Disorder
• C. Acute Insomnia
• D. Travel Fatigue

Answer: (A)

Jet lag is a disruption of the body’s circadian rhythm after crossing time zones. When you travel west, your internal clock tends to run later than the local time, making you feel sleepy during the day and restless at night as you try to adapt. Being well rested reduces accumulated sleep debt, which helps your brain tolerate the shift more smoothly. Adopting the destination’s local time—going to sleep and waking at appropriate hours, eating on the new schedule, and exposing yourself to the local day-night cues—provides strong signals to reset your internal clock to the new time zone. Avoiding alcohol helps because it can fragment sleep and dehydrate you, slowing the adjustment. Caffeine, used during daytime hours, can combat sluggishness and help you stay alert as your body shifts, but using it too late can interfere with nighttime sleep and hinder adaptation. Together, these strategies support faster entrainment of the circadian system to the new time zone, reducing jet lag.