Yes, there is actually a science behind waking up.  Waking up is not just what you experience, but also the biological process that your body goes through during this period.  There is a lot more going on than you think.

Recent research at John Moore University in Liverpool sheds some light on how this process can affect travelers.

At different times of day, your body operates at different performance levels.  From 7-11 am your body’s blood pressure is at its highest levels of the day.  This is caused by the higher viscosity of the blood during these times making it hard to push through the veins and arteries that are also constricted at these times.  Also, between the hours of 3-6 am, the body hits its lowest core temperature and experiences a heightened sensitivity to pain.  This is oddly enough why the majority of natural births occur in the early hours of the morning, but that’s neither here nor there.

So what does all this have to do with travel and jet lag?

Well its means that until your body adjusts to its new time zone, it will still be operating under its preexisting conditions.  Meaning, that you should avoid strenuous activity from 7-11 in your original time zone due to your blood viscosity.  In addition, avoid anything that would require an increased level of brain activity or anything that would overstimulate the senses.  This will help aid your body in a smoother transition to its new time zone and thus decreasing or avoiding the jet lagged affect all together.

Until next time,

Travelers Defense