Travelling over the international date line

So the pharmacist recommennded I get some supplements called melatonin. It has different ways to take it depending if you are travelling east or west. I am from Canada going to Japan. It is technically travelling west, but does that change since I am passing the international date line?

Travelling over the international date line

I don%26#39;t think our body recognizes the imaginary drawn international date line. It is much easier for me to adjust going west to Asia(a couple of days) than coming back east to US(takes a good week). I don%26#39;t take any melatonin or sleeping pills and try to adjust to the local time as fast as I can by being active. I once saw a guy fell sleep on a plane to Australia from NY holing a half emptied wine glass in his hand after taking a sleeping pill(s).

Travelling over the international date line

I don%26#39;t know about melatonin...I have taken it a few times, but not for travel, just to help me sleep.

I assume you are leaving from either Vancouver or Toronto on your flight...If it is Toronto you leave in the early afternoon and get there the next afteroon round 3pm Tokyo Time, which is like 3am or so to you...either way you are tired. People say try and stay up till as long as you can, but I have never figured a way to travel that long without jet lag, and it has always been harder for me travelling to Japan rather than back to Canada. You are out of synch totally, so just take the first couple of days easy. I can%26#39;t see taking melatonin will help one way or another

Going from Japan to the states, nothing seems to help, but going from the states (oaky, let%26#39;s say North American, since you are Canadian) to Japan, melatonin helps me if I take it when I am going to bed. I still wake up at 3:00 a.m., but then I go back to sleep, whereas without melatonin I wake in the wee hours and can%26#39;t sleep again.

I am a bigger fan of ambien for the first night, which lets me sleep without feeling drugged or woozy. One night ambien, the next few nights melatonin, things get all settled. Ambien is only availible by prescription though. Melatonin you can get over the counter.

Whether you want to take any supplements/pills to help you rest if a personal choice as only you know how your body responds. As mentioned above, the body doesn%26#39;t care about going east or west or international date line. It only cares about being tired and wanting to sleep. You will have a tough time to stay awake regardless upon arrival. I suggest you go to the hotel, freshen up and go out without touching the bed or you won%26#39;t get adjusted. Have an early dinner and come back and rest at a reasonable hour.