Jet Lag

IT's now Thurday October 15th and I returned from South Korea I believe on the 4th but I'm still dealing some with Jet Lag likely because of my age, late 60s. I could force somehow a return to my normal sleep habits but then would have to risk getting sick for about a week or more which I'm not willing to do at least at this age.

My wife (still only 60) poor baby, tells me that she has beaten jet lag as of last night finally. But, we'll see. Last year when I went to South Korea this time of year it took me a month. Going then was kind of liberating because I had had to care for my wife after her full knee replacement surgery since June 2014. So, the dynamics had changed a lot in our household because of the painkiller Perkocet for about 2 months in my wife's life. The favorite (or not so favorite statement) by me to her on Perkocet was ("you really expect me to take you seriously?"). Since you cannot drive or operate heavy machinery or fly a plane on perkocet because you are so off like a drunk sort of so you need someone in a completely sober state of mind to take care of you.

So, our dynamics as a couple really had to change in order to get through the first couple of months with a titanium new knee with muscles and flesh covering it but with some bone missing. It is the single most painful operation to recover from and known for that which is why you need at least something as strong as perkocet to survive it for a couple of months. However, this drug makes many people throw up so this can be problematic for many too. My wife didn't have this problem.

But now, she is mostly fully recovered and able to walk okay but still struggling with stairs and escalators but doing it anyway. She's a trooper in the end. If you are going to live over about 40 or 50 we all have to have balls of steel so to speak to manage it. It's just the way life is.

So, what I found out last year making the 16 hour shift in my body clock was: "Fighting jet lag over 65 isn't the best idea". So, what I learned then was to go with it more than fight it unless you have a job schedule you have to adhere to. Otherwise you might get sick for a week or more fighting jet lag at this age.

My doctor was very impressed that after a burst appendix, a laproscopic surgery, and the resulting hernia above my belly button that I still was brave enough to spend 17 days with my wife and friends in South Korea after the year I've already had.

My wife's theory is that sleeping from 10am to noon interferes with getting back on my normal Pacific time sleep schedule. However, the only sleep I can usually count on for sure right now is between 6am and noon. So, though I might agree with her creating another outcome I haven't been successful yet on a permanent basis in changing this. Have I ever slept between the hours of 2 am and 5 am? Likely but not more than once since leaving South Korea.

IF you understand that when it is 4:30pm here in California that it is 8:30 Am tomorrow in South Korea then you can begin to see the problem adjusting back after being there 17 days at my present age. So, the only thing in common would be to sleep from 6 am to 2pm back here in California for a similar sleep session.

If you are a world traveler business person likely the best way is to find a way to keep basically the same hours of sleep wherever you go and to schedule around that same sleep schedule. Though this might be inconvenient it also might be a way to keep your health wherever you travel to around the world on business.