Ask Dr Xiang Jun: How Acupuncture Helps Jet Lags



In the olden days, air travels were only for the rich and affluent. Therefore jet lag was almost unheard of in the mass public.



Today, there are 37.4 billion flights a year around the world, carrying 4.1 billion passengers. Business travels and leisure travels are done by substantially more people than it did even ten years ago. People are travelling further and further.  



The world has become smaller and jet lag has become an epidemic.

While there are prescription medications with their accompanying side effects or the hard way of adjusting your sleeping time in preparation for long haul travels, nothing can beat the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of jet lag. To understand why acupuncture is so effective for the treatment of jet lag, we need to understand why long haul travels especially have such adverse impacts on our physical and mental health.



What happens to the body during Jet Lags



Our body exists a rhythm and timing within itself. This rhythm is called body clocks or circadian rhythms. These rhythms are generated biologically and naturally. They help the body to function properly and be in balance. The body clock or circadian rhythm is the reason why we as human beings need to be active in the daytime and sleep in the night. As such, with the rhythms in place, it ensures that none of the internal organs get overworked and that the external resources given to the body such as food, water are utilized as fully as possible by the internal organs. Although the rhythms are generated within the body by nature, they are also affected by external stimulus such as sunlight and temperature. This is also the reason why the body gets confused when it thinks it is midnight but the environment it is in has the sun shining and the temperature at 30 degrees Celsius. This is what happens with jet lags.



Jet lag is the disruption to our internal body clocks because of having to force the body to adapt to sudden changes in routine.



How Acupuncture Treats Jet Lags



Central to the treatment of jet lag using acupuncture is based on the TCM body clock theory. In this Body Clock theory, each organ has 2 dedicated hours in a day to function and does its job to the best and max. What this means is energy is concentrated to the organs at those hours belonging to the organs, and a 2-hour period 12 hours later where it is at its weakest. Together, these peaks and troughs in energy intensity make up the body’s natural energy balance. 

You can read more about the TCM Body Clock for each of the organs in the body here: Kidney, Stomach, Heart, Gall Bladder, Triple Burner, Pericardium, Small Intestine, Bladder, Liver, Spleen, Lungs, Large Intestine



Understanding this theory means that Traditional Chinese Medicine doctors are able to specifically target the energy imbalance and normalize it again. While there are some self-help techniques that people can use to relieve the effects of jet lags, the most effective treatment is still the acupuncture performed by a qualified acupuncturist.



The effectiveness of the treatment also significantly increases when the patient comes in for a treatment as soon as possible after they land or even during the flight as the acupuncture treatment can adjust the body clock fast before the imbalance exacerbate further. Not only can the acupuncture treatment manage the symptoms of jet lag but also rebalance and reenergize the whole body and mind, leaving patients not just jet lag free but also focused and energized.

Read more about Acupuncture for Pineal Gland Activation and Balance here.

TCM(Traditional Chin Med), TCM Wellness, TCM and Science, Basics of TCMXiang Jun LimDr (TCM) Xiang Juntcm, acupuncture, traditional chinese medicine, jet lags, tcm body clock