[caption id="attachment_44092" align="aligncenter" width="607" caption="Don't fall victim to the jet lag monster... particularly when wearing bad shoes in a Euro subway."][/caption]

It's the topic that never seems to matter when you're young and have no sense of time to begin with: Jet lag is real, friends. If you've ever traveled across an ocean, tried to explore a European capital on an hour's sleep or forgotten where you were born when talking to a customs agent in Australia, you probably know what we mean.

Every few years, there's a new "cure" proposed, and we're here to tell you that none of them are foolproof. Unfortunately, there's no quick pill you can take to fix a case of jet lag (and yes, we're thinking sleepily of you, melatonin). In fact, for every time zone crossed, they say it takes a day to recover. But if you're in Hong Kong and don't have 17 days to play with, that's really not going to be much help.

And if you think it's easier to beat jet lag when you're traveling west, you're right: Your circadian rhythm has a tougher time adjusting to a shorter day than it does dealing with a longer one. Think about it... who hasn't had to deal with having just a handful of hours of sleep at work the day after a night out? Whereas just try going to sleep after only nine hours of being awake – it feels nearly impossible, at least without a sleeping pill (which is really not going to make jet lag any better). A sedative will leave you groggy unless you've got a solid eight hours to devote to sleep, which is unlikely when you're traveling as it is.

[caption id="attachment_44093" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="Don't let ANYTHING distract you from sleeping on the plane - even children."][/caption]

But there are a few preventative steps you can take. Some may work for you and some may not, so take it all with a grain of salt – though not a lot of alcohol, because that will dehydrate you, get you drunk twice as fast, and just generally mess you up on a plane.

1. Before flying, try to eat smaller meals that coincide with the meal times of when you're going to be eating. Jet lag isn't just about being sleepy; it can do a number on your gastro-intestinal system too. You can minimize this a bit by getting prepared to eat at new times.

2. If you simply must nap when you arrive in your new destination, don't do so for more than an hour. A quick 20-minute power nap followed by exploring a new place is best; anything longer than an hour will leave you groggy for the entire day. Try to power through.

3. Melatonin: This is a controversial one, and it's all based on self-administering properly. Melatonin is available readily in the US as a nutritional supplement, but it's actually only prescribed by a doctor in most of Europe. For jet lag, it's suggested that you take 0.5 mg a night for three nights upon arrival (starting it before flying may actually slow your let lag recovery).

4. Homeopathic cures are also not regulated by the FDA, but some people swear by products like No-Jet-Lag. Most of these contain ingredients that would be fatal in large doses, but they're individually designed with jet lag in mind. Again, they're not regulated by any agency, so their effectiveness is as controversial as Airborne.

5. Sleep on the plane! This is really the most essential trick if you can pull it off. Yes, it can be very difficult to sleep in what amounts to a room full of strangers shaking around like a 3D Disney ride. But if you can get to sleep as soon as you get on any flight going east, it will help. For instance, flights going from the East Coast to Europe are just about six hours, and you'll be woken up for breakfast at least an hour before landing. If dinner is served an hour in, you're left with four hours max to sleep. Do your best to make it happen, and leave your movie-watching for the flight home when you'll need to stay awake.

After all, there's a reason airlines dim the lights on flights and use those fancy lighting systems, and it's not to set the mood.