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Buckwheat Hulls Pillow and 5 Travel Essentials

Nov 16, 2021

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Jet lag can be a real dampener on the first days of a vacation. It can throw off your body clock and leave you feeling groggy and unwell.

Jet lag is frustrating, but did you know that it can also affect your health? One of the condition’s symptoms is difficulty sleeping, and sleep deprivation impacts the mind and body negatively, even if you’re not getting enough sleep for only a short period. (1)

No matter how many products you come across over the internet claiming to prevent jet lag for travelers, there’s no cure for it. However, certain measures can help you ensure a more comfortable recovery process. One of them is the use of a buckwheat hulls pillow. This pillow originated in Japan and China but is now making a name for itself across international borders, promising to provide people around the globe plenty of restful sleep. (2)

Read on to learn more about jet lag, buckwheat pillows, and other travel essentials that can help reduce common jet lag problems.

What’s jet lag?

Jet lag occurs when your internal body clock disconnects with your destination’s time zone when traveling. When traveling across time zones, the body needs to adjust to your destination’s new sleep and wake cycle. It’s also known as flight fatigue, or desynchronosis.

You may experience sleep deprivation and all its side effects temporarily when arriving at a place early in the morning at a time your body is usually on its way to falling asleep. That’s because when you get exposed to darkness and sunlight due to any activity in your daily routine, your body’s 24-hour circadian rhythm can be disrupted. It usually happens when flying across time zones because your internal body clock goes out of sync. (3)

Jet lag symptoms

The most well-known jet lag symptoms are insomnia and tiredness. However, the condition impacts the body more than most people think. In fact, people flying across time zones have also complained about the following issues:

  • Abnormal functioning during the daytime

  • Disorientation

  • Feeling sick

  • Stomach issues (4)


How long does jet lag last?

Generally, one recovers from jet lag on a 1:1 ratio of the number of days spent adjusting for every time zone crossed. However, that’s only generally the case if you’re flying westward, which is easier on your body than eastward travel. (5)

As previously mentioned, your circadian rhythms or your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle are light-sensitive. In that case, traveling westward is easier on your body because it lengthens your day, meaning you’ll get exposed to daylight for a longer period. (5)

Flying eastward, however, collapses daylight exposure and, thus, your circadian rhythms. That’s why it will take close to one and a half days for your body to recover from jet lag when traveling east. (5)

Travel essentials for reducing jet lag

People who travel a lot are familiar with jet lag. Unfortunately, regardless of whether you’re aware of it or not, jet lag’s symptoms — such as tiredness, insomnia, and disorientation — are expected if you’re traveling and crossing multiple time zones. It’s especially true when traveling east.

Below are five tried-and-true travel essentials worth trying to reduce jet lag. Give them a try the next time you go on a trip that requires you to cross multiple time zones.

1. Buckwheat pillow

Sometimes you become so excited about your trip or busy preparing and packing the things you’ll bring that you may not find enough time to rest properly before your flight. With the hope of getting through the flight asleep, some people may even tire themselves out deliberately before the trip. However, not getting a good night’s sleep before your flight can be a problem because sleep deprivation will only worsen jet lag.

Crucial to your pre-travel sleeping hours will be your mattress and pillow. If your pillow isn’t doing you any favors at night, you might want to check out buckwheat pillows. They’re one of the best products available on the market right now. Today, buckwheat pillows are becoming increasingly popular among individuals with sleep issues from different parts of the world.

Known for their promise to improve sleep, buckwheat pillows—also known as sobakawas—use buckwheat hulls as filling. You don’t have to worry about allergies either, because buckwheat hulls have been thoroughly cleaned, removing any flour dust that may trigger an allergic reaction. Natural materials such as cotton are then used as casings for the clean hulls. Check this video out to see how a buckwheat pillow actually looks and learn about some of its features:

Buckwheat Pillow | Handcrafted in Arizona by PineTales®



A buckwheat pillow can help reduce jet lag issues in the following ways:

  • Providing firm support throughout the night: The buckwheat hulls inside a buckwheat pillow shift around the casing easily, which allows them to conform to the head and neck’s shape. That’s how they provide adequate support and help you maintain a neutral position for your neck throughout the night. For that reason, there won’t be a need to shift your head constantly during the night just to find the most comfortable position. Of course, not constantly shifting your head helps prevent pains around the head and neck area. As a result, you’ll sleep more soundly then wake up refreshed, ready to take your flight full of energy

  • Increasing airflow around the head: Compared to synthetic or feather pillows, air flow in buckwheat pillows is significantly better, thanks to their shape. It means that the pillow doesn’t get too hot through the night, helping the user sleep more comfortably.


2. Drinking water

It may be old news, but it’s still worth mentioning that water is a simple yet effective jet lag remedy. In fact, hydration directly impacts the severity of jet lag symptoms. So make sure that you stay hydrated. Grab at least two bottles of water before jumping on the plane, and make sure to drink from time to time until you reach your destination. (6)

However, make sure to nix caffeine. It can be tempting to grab a caffeinated drink if you’re already experiencing the symptoms of jet lag. However, consuming caffeinated drinks to counter the tiredness that results from flying at odd hours can actually disrupt your circadian rhythm further. (3)

3. Herbal tea

Instead of coffee, consider opting for a cup of herbal tea. Organic tea, particularly chamomile, is seen as a sleep-inducing drink as it may help you remain calm and relax before bedtime. One of its components, an antioxidant called apigenin, could also contribute to the ability of caffeine-free herbal teas to improve sleep quality because it’s believed to play a role in decreasing anxiety. Besides chamomile, here are other teas worth trying are:

  • Lavender: Besides their pleasant aroma, lavender tea is also popular for its perceived ability to alleviate insomnia or difficulty falling asleep.

  • Valerian root: Valerian tea, made from the valerian plant’s roots and underground stems, is famous for the calming effect it’s believed to bring to people. Valerian tea benefits also include sleep promotion and decreased stress.

  • Lemon balm: Lemon balm has long been utilized as a herbal medicine for anxiety, sleep problems, and even digestion issues. It’s part of the mint family, with green leaves that are believed to have a sedative, calming effect, thanks to its slight lemony aroma.


4. Melatonin

Melatonin is a common remedy for jet lag. Melatonin is a hormone that the brain’s pineal gland naturally secretes to help in regulating an individual’s circadian rhythm. It works as a darkness signal.

There are several things to keep in mind when using melatonin for jet lag treatment, including the following:

  • Take melatonin between 20 and 30 minutes before the target sleeping time to make sure it really works as expected

  • Take the right dose, depending on your goal (e.g., reducing jet lag symptoms, promoting sleep)

  • Avoid alcohol and sedatives when taking melatonin


5. Essential oils

Aromatherapy is a popular natural health treatment. Carrying aromatherapy’s banners are essential oils. It’s believed aromatherapy could also squash jet lag-related problems, such as difficulty relaxing or falling asleep.

Final thoughts

It’s usually too late to correct the symptoms of jet lag fully by the time they manifest. That’s why it’s essential to follow all the measures mentioned and discussed above to at least reduce jet lag’s effects on your mind and body, allowing you to enjoy the limited vacation days you have. Buckwheat pillow, water, herbal tea, melatonin, and essential oils shouldn’t be too difficult to gather before your next flight.

References

  1. “Here’s What Happens When You Don’t Get Enough Sleep (And How Much You Really Need A Night)”, Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/happens-body-dont-get-enough-sleep/

  2. “Air Travel Advice”, Source: https://www.who.int/news-room/q-a-detail/air-travel-advice

  3. “How Circadian Rhythms Act As The Body’s Biological Clock”, Source: https://www.verywellhealth.com/circadian-rhythms-the-bodys-clock-2795928

  4. “Jet Lag”, Source: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/jet-lag/

  5. “Jet Lag And Sleep”, Source: https://www.sleepfoundation.org/travel-and-sleep/jet-lag

  6. “Jet Lag Disorder”, Source: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/jet-lag/symptoms-causes/syc-20374027