Tips on how to beat jetlag. Fyrol Mohd / AFP
Tips on how to beat jetlag. Fyrol Mohd / AFP

Beat jet lag after a long flight with these health tips



If you’ve ever crossed more than a few time zones on a flight then you’re likely to have experienced the effects of jet lag. Although medically harmless, the condition can be debilitating, but with a little bit of foreword planning and know-how, jet lag is manageable.

Symptoms of jet lag vary depending on how many time zones you cross, how well your body adapts, the time you fly and your overall health. Symptoms can include extreme tiredness and fatigue, insomnia, nausea, inability to concentrate, digestive disruptions and generally feeling unwell.

Jet lag – which is a disruption to the body’s circadian rhythm, or biological clock – occurs when your body hasn’t adjusted to the new time zone. You might find yourself wide awake at 2am, yet physically unable to drag yourself out of bed at midday. In other words, your body clock is set to a different time.

People travelling east to west tend to find it easier to adjust to the new time zone because their body needs to “slow down”, although they may find themselves getting sleepier earlier than usual and waking up earlier than desired. It is usually harder travelling east because the body has to “speed up” and get used to an earlier bedtime and wake-up time.

There are many remedies for combating jet lag and each traveller needs to find the methods that work for them. One solution is ensuring you get some sunshine. Being exposed to daylight tells your body to stop producing melatonin – the hormone responsible for regulating the circadian rhythm – and this will help you get into your new time zone naturally. If you land at your destination in the evening, taking melatonin tablets can help you get a better night’s sleep.

The National's travel editor, Rosemary Behan, who got her first passport at the age of 11, is no stranger to jet lag. She travels with enviable frequency – 80 countries at last count – and has a well-executed plan to help her make the most of the time she has in every destination.

“For me the symptoms of jet lag are exacerbated by poor flight timings,” Behan says. “Often you have to deal with not only a long flight to a different time zone, but a lost night of sleep on the way out, if the departure is late at night or in the early hours of the morning. Thus the symptoms of tiredness, a lack of coordination and even nausea when you arrive are worse after these flights than a flight which leaves at, say, 10am. If possible, book a flight leaving at a civilised time, so you won’t have to collapse as soon as you arrive.”

Columnist and cultural adviser, Ali Al Saloom, an avid traveller with more than 70 destinations stamped in his passport, says the trick to avoiding jet lag is not to get stressed out. “With all of the places that I have visited, I hardly complain about jet lag. Why? Because I simply don’t think about it. If I can’t sleep, then I read a book or watch a movie – these two things always put me in the mood for sleeping.”

The rest of us can take note of these tips from Etihad’s Guest Services department for trainee cabin crew.

1. Plan to rest before your flight. Beginning a trip with a sleep debt seems to increase the duration and severity of the jet lag.

2. Avoid alcohol and caffeinated drinks on the flight. Consuming either may contribute to more severe jet lag. Drink plenty of water instead to keep hydrated.

3. Avoid over-the-counter sleeping tablets; use natural remedies such as chamomile tea, and try to create a sleep-friendly environment, controlling your light exposure using blackout curtains, eyeshades, earplugs, pillow mist etc.

4. Eat light meals. Never go to bed on an empty or too-full stomach. This could easily influence the quality of your sleep.

5. Stick to your home-base timings, which include meals, exercise and sleep if your stay is less than three days. If your stay is longer than three days, then adjust your timings to the local destination.

6. Once you have arrived, take a brief sleep and try to be active until night-time falls, so you will be able to fall asleep again and wake up fresh in the morning.

Travellers’ tips

“If my flight is scheduled to arrive early in the morning I will sleep on the plane, then wake up to continue my day in that time zone. Another option, once I arrive at my destination, is to take a shower, drink a local juice and walk around until sunset and then go to the hotel. This helps me wake up with more energy the next morning.”

Ali Al Saloom, cultural adviser and Ask Ali columnist

“Allow a day on arrival to acclimatise. If you’re going on a business trip and need to hit the ground running with meetings, consider arriving the night before to gain an edge over your competitors. If you’re going on holiday, consider it an investment in the rest of the trip. Take it easy and don’t book any big tours or tackle too many sights. Go to the gym, have a swim in the pool, go for a walk around, get your bearings and check out the local cafes and restaurants instead. The sooner you can acclimatise the better your trip will be. If you are arriving at night, have a massage when you arrive, take a melatonin tablet and go to bed. Don’t eat a big meal.”

Rosemary Behan, travel editor, The National

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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

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Sector: Sustainability
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Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais

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Name: Grubtech

Founders: Mohamed Al Fayed and Mohammed Hammedi

Launched: October 2019

Employees: 50

Financing stage: Seed round (raised $2 million)

 

if you go

The flights

Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.

The trip

Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.

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Engine: 6.2-litre V8
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Power: 420hp @ 5,600rpm
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​​​​​​​Fuel economy, combined: 12.9L / 100km

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Age: 50

Known as the UAE’s strongest man

Favourite dish: “Everything and sea food”

Hobbies: Drawing, basketball and poetry

Favourite car: Any classic car

Favourite superhero: The Hulk original

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

The specs

Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel

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Dir: Philippe Van Leeuw
Starring: Hiam Abbass, Diamand Bo Abboud, Mohsen Abbas and Juliette Navis
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1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

'Munich: The Edge of War'

Director: Christian Schwochow

Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons

Rating: 3/5

If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
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Essentials

The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Malaysia Airlines all fly direct from the UAE to Kuala Lumpur and on to Penang from about Dh2,300 return, including taxes. 
 

Where to stay
In Kuala Lumpur, Element is a recently opened, futuristic hotel high up in a Norman Foster-designed skyscraper. Rooms cost from Dh400 per night, including taxes. Hotel Stripes, also in KL, is a great value design hotel, with an infinity rooftop pool. Rooms cost from Dh310, including taxes. 


In Penang, Ren i Tang is a boutique b&b in what was once an ancient Chinese Medicine Hall in the centre of Little India. Rooms cost from Dh220, including taxes.
23 Love Lane in Penang is a luxury boutique heritage hotel in a converted mansion, with private tropical gardens. Rooms cost from Dh400, including taxes. 
In Langkawi, Temple Tree is a unique architectural villa hotel consisting of antique houses from all across Malaysia. Rooms cost from Dh350, including taxes.

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Bidzi

● Started: 2024

● Founders: Akshay Dosaj and Asif Rashid

● Based: Dubai, UAE

● Industry: M&A

● Funding size: Bootstrapped

● No of employees: Nine

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Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
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Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo

Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm

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Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km

Price: from Dh285,000

On sale: from January 2022 

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Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan

Four stars

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Adel Esmat (translated by Mandy McClure)

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10 tips for entry-level job seekers
  • Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
  • Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
  • Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
  • For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
  • Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
  • Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
  • Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
  • Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
  • Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
  • Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.

Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz