Avoiding alcohol, exercising on the plane and eating cherries are among the most effective ways to combat jet lag, according to a new study. A poll of 2,000 adults who have experienced jet

lag found more than eight in 10 have struggled with severe fatigue after a long-haul flight. Other methods used to avoid jet lag include drinking lots of water, avoiding caffeine and

sleeping on the plane as much as possible. The study was conducted by Love Fresh Cherries, the industry body which supplies cherries to UK supermarkets - in association with NW Cherries.

Anita Bean, a registered nutritionist, said: “Jet lag occurs when your internal body clock becomes disrupted due to crossing time zones. “The main symptoms include fatigue, insomnia,

have been unable to sleep the night after returning from a different time zone. On average it takes those polled more than three days to get back to their normal sleeping routine after

flying long-haul. Typically a case of jet-lag causes people to loose nine hours of sleep. Three in 10 British people have struggled to concentrate when returning to work and one in 10 have

even suffered anxiety brought on by shifting time zones after travel. One in 10 have struggled with constipation and a third have suffered from a debilitating headache. A quarter of jet lag

sufferers said the condition makes them feel frustrated and nearly four in 10 claimed it leaves them feeling totally unproductive. Nearly half admitted that jet lag makes them more irritable

and 20 per cent feel a general heightening of emotion. A quarter of respondents have even fallen asleep somewhere unusual due to fatigue from jet lag. Three in 10 have nodded off at work

and a quarter have even fallen asleep behind the wheel of their car. In 16 per cent of cases respondents said their jet lag was so bad that they had to phone in sick for work. Studies have

shown cherries can help prevent jet lag because they are one of the only natural sources of melatonin, a hormone which helps regulate sleep patterns. Anita Bean said: “Research has found

that drinking tart cherry juice twice a day raises the body’s level of sleep-inducing melatonin and can increase sleep time by more than 80 minutes a night. “The extra melatonin may help

your body fight jet lag and regulate its natural sleep cycle when you arrive in your new time zone.” TOP 20 WAYS BRITISH PEOPLE COMBAT JET LAG: Force yourself to stay awake until bedtime

when you get home Sleep as much as possible on the flight Walk around on the plane Avoid alcohol on the plane Drink more water than usual on the plane, and following the flight Make sure to

stay in general good physical fitness before travel Avoid caffeine on the plane Do exercises on the plane Keep your watch set to your home/normal time when on holiday Avoid alcohol when you

get home Take extra vitamins / supplements before, during or after the flight Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables on the plane Avoid caffeine when you get home Eat ginger before, during

or after the flight Exercise more following the flight Take sleeping pills when you can’t sleep Force yourself back to work early after the flight Eat goji berries before, during or after

the flight Eat cherries before, during or after the flight Arrange parties or social occasions to force yourself to stay active after the flight ANITA BEAN'S TOP TIPS FOR MINIMISING THE

EFFECTS OF JET LAG: BEFORE YOU TRAVEL: Gradually change your sleep routine – start going to bed and getting up an hour or so earlier or later than usual, in line with the time of your

destination Try to eat your meals in line with – or at least closer to – the new time zone Avoid eating a large meal just before travelling DURING YOUR FLIGHT: Drink plenty of water or

non-alcoholic, non-caffeinated drinks – being properly hydrated will help offset the effects of jet lag Skip in-flight meals – this will cause your body clock to temporarily reset and help

you adjust to the new time zone faster If you can’t go without food that long, keep your meals light and sync them to the local meal times Avoid drinking coffee and energy drinks as too much

caffeine disrupts your sleep and can make jet lag worse Flying overnight? Try to sleep in the early or middle part of your flight but make sure you wake up at least 10 - 12 hours before the

planned bedtime in your new time zone Unplug in the air – exposure to blue light can disrupt your sleeping pattern and make jet lag symptoms worse AFTER YOUR ARRIVE: Eat cherries or drink

cherry juice Cherries are one of the only natural sources of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate our sleep patterns Research has found drinking tart cherry juice twice a day raises the

body’s level of sleep-inducing melatonin and can increase sleep time by more than 80 minutes a night The extra melatonin may help your body fight jet lag and regulate its natural sleep cycle

when you arrive in your new time zone Get lots of daylight exposure, ideally in the morning (aim for a minimum of 20 minutes) – natural light will help your body clock adjust quicker The

best way to get yourself on to the new time zone as quickly as possible is to stay up until a normal bedtime Push through tiredness and avoid the urge to nap longer than an hour during the

daytime as this will make your jet lag feel worse Start eating meals at the normal times for your new time zone as this will help reset your body clock Do some exercise soon after arriving

at your destination, it will make you feel more alert during the day and help reset your body clock more quickly _SWNS_