Lag

Shortly after I adjusted my daily schedule, I set off to San Diego for a conference.

I must say as an academic staff, I do not travel that often. Nonetheless I always consider myself very suitable for international conference biologically – because I do not have much jet lag.

My trick is simple. As a caffeine addict, I would deliberately omit my coffee on the day I start my journey, resume it in the morning the day after I arrive, and, bingo, my diurnal rhythm is re-set.

You may ask, “Hey, I know you still sleep through the afternoon symposium!”

Very true. But, falling asleep in lecture is my norm – even in Hong Kong!

PS. Some of my friends may know I deliberately changed my biological clock during my final year of medical school study: I slept after dinner from 7 pm and got up at 1 pm, had a bit of night food, and then began my study till dawn. Although anti-social, that strategy turned out to be very successful.