On jet lags and body clocks

My body’s circadian rhythm seems to be disrupted. Ugh… a case of ‘jet lag’ as they say when the body clock’s natural patterns (for eating, sleeping, hormone regulation and other functions) are out of sync as one travels to a different time zone. In my case it’s a 5 hours time difference, so it’s quite a lot of getting used to and it proved to be more challenging than I thought especially since I come from the tropics and find myself now in a Nordic country with cold outside temperature even when it’s summer. Brrrr! How I envy those locals wearing their sleeveless shirts and shorts while I wrap myself in sweater under the  sun.

I’ve been to Europe (Germany and Italy) before but haven’t experienced some discomforts such as having skin rashes and getting headaches. The dry wind and cold weather could have caused the rashes on my legs, arms, neck and even the palms of my hands which thankfully have been reduced to tiny scars now. I hope they won’t become physiological souvenirs of my stay here in Finland. Then the past few days I experienced some headaches. Maybe I still haven’t adjusted my body clock to the 5 hours time difference and especially during night time with the sky still bright. I guess I am so used to sleeping in a dark environment during evenings in the tropics. Oh well…

Going on travel, especially on a different time zone, means you have to adjust to whatever are the circumstances and how the local environment is, not just in communicating with the residents and learning their culture and language or observing the architecture of the place. Anyway, I’ve adjusted a bit, feeling much better now… and ready for a walk outside.  🙂