Jet lag totally sucks but most of us have come to accept it as the cruel price we pay for travel.

We all have a few tips and tricks we use to reduce it as much as possible but still usually end up face-planting into our lunch or dinner with absolutely no desire to move because we are so comfortable.

Spaghetti makes for an amazing pillow.

A study into jet lag has found out why jet lag is worse when traveling east than west, and normally avoidable when traveling between the north and the south.

Researchers at the University of Maryland have found it is due to our body’s rhythm being disturbed slightly more when traveling in this direction due to the disruption to our ‘natural circadian rhythm’ which is basically how long our body thinks the day is.

The findings have been published in the Journal of Chaos and after measuring the average person’s circadian rhythm at around 24.5 hours determined that our bodies prefer to travel ahead in time than back.

Those Two Girls on the annoying habits of recent travelers. Article continues after this video.

That’s why it makes it easier for our bodies to cope with travel to the west because lengthens the day where as traveling east makes it shorter. So, for example, traveling east to a time zone that is, say, nine hours behind, is harder for our bodies to adjust to than traveling west to a time zone that is nine hours ahead.

Whatever, it just sucks.

Researchers plan further research to better treat jet lag but so far they recommend:

Other tried and tested jet lag cures that may not work and have no medical basis whatsoever (so attempt at your own risk) include:

“Sleeping…I can’t stand it when people get all righteous. ‘Ohh don’t sleep – hold out and then go to sleep at the normal time.’ EUGH shut up.” Jessie

This seems totally logical. If you are tired, sleep. Until you wake up at 1.30am three nights in a row unable to sleep because your body still thinks it’s day time. It is, in Europe. Maybe just stay there.