Korean Job Discussion Forums

sojourner1

Out of my 2 trips to Korea, I find coming here to involve miserable jet lag while going to the USA is an easy dream with no unpleasant jet lag.

Am I correct or is this just my perception? After flying back to Korea, I am reminded of how I felt the first time; achy, tired, awkward, disoriented, and downright uncomfortable.

Why is it is rough when traveling East vs. West? Why does my time seem to be racing quickly since embarking on a long trip 3 days ago? I hope time continues to race along for me like it is still doing for me today as to see Christmas come ASAP.

I also felt that traveling from Europe to the USA involved more jetlag than going to Europe from the USA in all 4 of my trips there which supports my belief that going West is harder than going East from any point.

What about traveling long distances North and South such as going to SEA from Korea? It is said that little jet lag is experienced, but I never traveled a great distance North or South to really know.

When reading about jet lag, it is said that 1 day of recovery is necessary for each time zone passed. Jet lag is only spoken of in terms of the body not adjusting quick enough to sudden time zone change, but I believe there is a physiological change to our bodies as a result of all the motion experienced in flight.

Alyallen · Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 10:35 pm Post subject:

I don't think there is any one answer. Each person's body will react differently. For me, it's the polar opposite. My jet lag is horrid going to the U.S. from Korea. The U.S. to Korea seems to be easier on my system.

I once had jet lag hit me 2 weeks after the fact. I had arrived in America from Korea and started working 2 days later. At first, I was fine but then all of a sudden my body seemed to be running on Korean time. I had a hard time staying awake during the day but was insanely alert at night....

I just get off the plane and hope to adjust quickly. My body seems to settle things in whatever way it likes..

MarionG · Joined: 14 Sep 2006

Just about any travel site will tell you that flying east results in jetlag; flying west just means you may be tired. I've read several times the reason for this, but have forgotten...

I flew NYC to SFO to ICN, no jetlag. Going back I'll try to fly east again, i.e. ICN to Europe to NYC

normalcyispasse · Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 12:35 am Post subject:

Funny, every time I fly to the US from Asia I get horribleawfulnogood jetlag. Whenever I fly from the US to Korea I'm fine.

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

My experience is similar to the majority on here. Going to the US is god-awful compared to coming here. Two-three weeks of recovery time vs a couple of days.

I've read an explanation too, but didn't really understand it.

CeleryMan · Joined: 12 Apr 2007 Location: Seoul

I travel internationally alot for work and the overwhelming consensus amongst expats I've met in airport lounges, planes, etc. agree that one is neither more or less jetlagged when returning to Korea.

Acclimation period aside, I'd argue most are perpetually "jetlagged" in Korea.

Call me crazy but something about the air in Korea both indoors and outdoors is horrifically suffocating. Maybe its yellow dust or lack of proper air ventilation, who knows?

Don't mean to ramble on but I'm writing this post beachside in Malibu, CA and having been here less than 48 hours I can say that the physical and emotional transformation has been amazing!! My lungs somehow instinctively know that it's safe to take a deep breathes ... maybe its all in my head or maybe its this pacific offshore breeze?

Lord Help Me! I leave this "Land of the Morning Calm" for the real Land of the Morning Calm this weekend Sad

peppermint · Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 1:53 am Post subject:

Home is pretty much exactly on the other side of the planet from Korea, so I used to get brutal jet lag whenever I'd fly back there. Melatonin does wonders

Otherside · Joined: 06 Sep 2007

flying south to north (and vice versa) doesn't really result in any jet lag.
Depending when your flight is it works out rather well. When my parents fly to the UK from South Africa they fly business class (i.e. have a good night's sleep) the flight leaves at about 9pm and arrives at 8am the next morning. They feel absolutly fine that day.

My experience in flying economy is less than ideal, I'm generally pretty tired (i guess that's the result of having a bad night's sleep, being 6"2 in a tiny seat for 11 hours), but by the following day I'm 100% ok.

By the same token I didnt actually feel that bad after my flight to korea (total of 18 hours including 3 in transit and a 7 hour time difference) and it was going east. I guess it depends on your age and body?

pest2 · Joined: 01 Jun 2005 Location: Vancouver, Canada

SuperFly · Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Location: In the doghouse

I'm in the US right now on a business trip. For me, zero jet lag, for my Korean colleague, 100% FALLING ASLEEP in the seminar, leaves for long periods of time during the seminar, doesn't participate in the group activities, but he brought along 45 questions to ask the speaker. I wasn't too surprised when the speaker said "ah yes, your questions were answered during the seminar on day 2 but you weren't here at the time".... Very Happy

mindmetoo · Joined: 02 Feb 2004

My experience has always been:

Coming to Korea: falling asleep at 9 pm then waking at midnight and can't get back to sleep until 6 am. Lasts about 1 week.

Going back to NA: First night I sleep like a baby. "Ah no probs" but then the jet lag hits the next day.

bosintang · Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:24 pm Post subject:

jetlag is not caused by the flying itself, it's caused by the change in time zones.

Flying East to West is slightly better because you are naturally extending the day rather than shortening it. But keep in mind, you're crossing the date line on a trans-pacific flight so in that case it would normally be the opposite.

Dome Vans · Guest

I think Bosintang has hit the nail on the head.

I think it has to do with the natural time elapsing with flying west from Korea your body is more keyed into this direction than flying East.

If I leave Incheon at 9am, I will arrive in London at 6pm. England is 8 hours behind, timewise. I'll arrive the same day but only have lost 3 hours or so in my natural body clock. Which takes a little adjustment.

Compared with leaving London at 9am, I will arrive in Incheon, which is 8 hours ahead, plus the flying time of 13 hours I will arrive the next day at 6am. This is where the jet lag really kicks in. Your body probably feels that it should be around 11pm or thereabouts. That's where the time zones really can affect you.

Very badly explained I know.

They both affect people in different ways but there's less chance of severe jetlag when you're flying west.

Or if you're like me, dislike flying so much that you look like s*it when you land anyway, and it really helped to be teaching the next day after landing!! Whatever day that was.