travelling time lag

Jet Lag Calculator

Switching time zones the jet lag calculator.

It isn’t always easy to recover when you’re switching time zones - the inability to sleep, fatigue and disorientation that comes with jet lag can put a serious dampener on your time away. Using your flight itinerary, you can now manage jet lag with this interactive calculator.

Enter your travel details below and find out how to get the most out of your trip.

Below is your personalized travel sleep plan. Follow the suggested sleep pattern and light exposure times to minimize the effects of jet lag.

• Flight / travel
• Sleep or dark conditions ideal (during/after flight)
• Aim to be in lighter environments

Scroll across to explore your sleep plan

In order to beat jet lag and establish a new sleep routine you first need to determine your phase change in hours, eg the difference in hours forward or back. Ideally, you should start shifting your sleep schedule two days before departure, moving your sleep period one or two steps towards your new sleep time each day.

When moving forward, after waking, try to stay in light conditions for at least three hours, and when moving back, before sleep, try to stay in light conditions for three hours.

From the day of the flight (including during the flight), try to adjust your meal times to those of your new destination. If convenient, starting to do this a few days beforehand too can help ease jet lag by adjusting your body clock.

Doing exercise during the period that your schedule recommends staying in light conditions can enhance circadian rhythm shift, reducing the symptoms of jet lag.

Frequently asked questions

Sleep shifting is where you stagger your sleeping patterns ahead of visiting a country with a different time zone.

For example, if you’re visiting New York to Dubai, it has a nine hour time difference, so in order to not suffer from jet lag it’s recommended you start shifting your sleep two days before your flight. By shifting your sleep an hour back from your regular sleep time each day, over a nine day adjustment period, you should avoid jet lag.

It’s important to drink plenty of water prior to landing in a new time zone. When bodies are low on fluids they begin to feel fatigued and weaker than usual, therefore, water helps pump oxygen into bodily organs and makes you more energized.

If water doesn’t do the trick, try doing some exercise - a light jog, HIIT workout or a yoga session will wake up all of your muscles. It’s important you have a good balance between being active and getting plenty of rest though. Too much exercise could make you feel even more fatigued .

Try to get into the same routine as the natives of the country you have just arrived in - if they are having breakfast, but your body clock wants you to go to sleep, try and power through and eat some breakfast too. It’s important to get your body used to the new time zone as soon as possible.

It's recommended that adults get an average of seven to nine hours of sleep every night - it is possible to get by on fewer hours sleep, but in order to function optimally, you should aim to get as close to these hours as possible.

Many people with busy and hectic lifestyles may be getting by on six hours of sleep a night, and although they may feel like a productive and functioning human being, chronic sleep deprivation can easily sneak up on them. As time goes by, a consistent amount of sleep loss can result in health problems, such as, insomnia, narcolepsy or severe mood swings, therefore, it’s important to aim for a minimum of seven hours of sleep per night.

If you’re on a flight for a long period of time, you’ll want to try and get some sleep. Some key tips include cutting down, or completely cutting out caffeine ahead of your flight - caffeine is renowned for keeping people awake, so aim to remove it from your diet 24-hours ahead of your flight time.

Airplanes are also quite typically cold :

The heat given off by passengers in a fully occupied cabin is considerable, therefore, incoming air needs to be at or below the required cabin temperature if that temperature is to be maintained.

With that said, a blanket and flight socks to keep you warm should help you fall asleep on a flight.

Above everything, if you have the chance to pick your seat for your flight, be sure to pick wisely. If you’re situated near the toilets, you’ll be constantly woken up, so try and find a prime window seat.

If you have a long haul flight booked, you may be worrying about eating times and if it will affect your jet lag.

Usually, many flights will get you onto a new time zone and wake you up - or keep you awake - to provide food. For example, if you’re departing at 9 am but the destination you are traveling to is 10 hours ahead, they will look to give you your dinner swiftly after departure.

The more time zones you cross, the worse your jet lag may be. Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two of travel if you’ve crossed two time zones. Jet lag can be worse if you travel in an easterly direction and for every time zone crossed, it can take about a day to recover.

Crossing multiple time zones puts your internal clock or circadian rhythms out of sync - they regulate your sleep-wake cycle and if they are out of sync with your new time, you’ll struggle to sleep - or stay awake!

If you were to travel from New York on a flight at 4 pm on Tuesday and arrive in Paris at 7 am on Wednesday your internal sleep pattern and clock would think it is 1 am - this would mean that you’re ready for bed just as Paris is waking up for the day. So, if you then travel across another two time zones, your body clock will struggle to catch up even more so. You can find some more top tips below:

Split up your trip

If you’re planning on taking a long journey, for example, from the United States, over to Bali, think about splitting your flights up and look at having a stopover in Dubai or Singapore. Not only does this give your body the time to catch up and adapt to a new routine, but it can almost half the price of your airfare.

Set your watch to your new time zone

You need to get yourself psychologically aligned with the time at your new destination, so, as soon as you get onto your flight, set your watch backward or forwards.

Seek some sun

If you’re due to be awake once you’ve landed, but feel sleepy, it’s a good idea to seek out some sun - daylight makes you feel better.

Use an eye mask and earplugs during your flight

If you want to get into a new time zone but struggle to sleep on flights, why not invest in an eye mask and earplugs? They will help convince your body that it’s nighttime and you’re due some sleep.

The interactive jet lag calculator allows users to input their travel details and find out how to get the most of their trip by keeping jet lag at bay. It then generates a personalized sleep plan that - if followed correctly - should minimize the effects of jet lag.

Jet lag is a physiological condition that results from shifts in the circadian rhythms - it’s physically a result of crossing time zones, therefore it is inevitable that your body will be affected in some way - that is why this tool will help many people travelling across countries and time zones.

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• Jet lag disorder

Jet lag, also called jet lag disorder, is a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who quickly travels across several time zones.

Your body has its own internal clock, called circadian rhythms. They signal to your body when to stay awake and when to sleep.

Jet lag occurs because your body's internal clock is synced to your original time zone. It hasn't changed to the time zone of where you've traveled. The more time zones crossed, the more likely you are to experience jet lag.

Jet lag can cause daytime fatigue, an unwell feeling, trouble staying alert and stomach problems. Although symptoms are temporary, they can affect your comfort while on vacation or during a business trip. But you can take steps to help prevent or lessen the effects of jet lag.

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Symptoms of jet lag can vary. You may experience only one symptom or you may have many. Jet lag symptoms may include:

• Sleep problems such as not being able to fall asleep or waking up early.
• Daytime fatigue.
• Not being able to focus or function at your usual level.
• Stomach problems such as constipation or diarrhea.
• A general feeling of not being well.
• Mood changes.

Symptoms are worse the farther you travel

Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones. Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed.

When to see a doctor

Jet lag is temporary. But if you travel often and experience jet lag, you may benefit from seeing a sleep specialist.

A disruption to your circadian rhythms

Jet lag can occur anytime you cross two or more time zones. Crossing multiple time zones puts your internal clock out of sync with the time in your new locale. Your internal clock, also called circadian rhythms, regulates your sleep-wake cycle.

For example, if you leave New York on a flight at 4 p.m. on Tuesday and arrive in Paris at 7 a.m. Wednesday, your internal clock still thinks it's 1 a.m. That means you're ready for bed just as Parisians are waking up.

It takes a few days for your body to adjust. In the meantime, your sleep-wake cycle and other body functions such as hunger and bowel habits remain out of step with the rest of Paris.

The effect of sunlight

A key influence on circadian rhythms is sunlight. Light affects the regulation of melatonin, a hormone that helps cells throughout the body work together.

Cells in the tissue at the back of the eye transmit light signals to an area of the brain called the hypothalamus. When the light is low at night, the hypothalamus signals to a small organ in the brain called the pineal gland to release melatonin. During daylight hours, the opposite occurs. The pineal gland releases very little melatonin.

Because light is so crucial to your internal clock, you may be able to ease your adjustment to a new time zone by exposing yourself to daylight. However, the timing of light needs to be done properly.

Airline cabin pressure and atmosphere

Some research shows that changes in cabin pressure and high altitudes associated with air travel may contribute to some symptoms of jet lag, regardless of travel across time zones.

In addition, humidity levels are low in planes. If you don't drink enough water during your flight, you can get slightly dehydrated. Dehydration also may contribute to some symptoms of jet lag.

Risk factors

Factors that increase the likelihood you'll experience jet lag include:

• Number of time zones crossed. The more time zones you cross, the more likely you are to feel jet lag.
• Flying east. You may find it harder to fly east, when you "lose" time, than to fly west, when you "gain" time.
• Being a frequent flyer. Pilots, flight attendants and business travelers are most likely to experience jet lag.
• Being an older adult. Older adults may need more time to recover from jet lag.

Complications

Auto accidents caused by drowsy driving may be more likely in people who are jet-lagged.

A few basic steps may help prevent jet lag or reduce its effects:

• Arrive early. If you have an important meeting or other event that requires you to be in top form, try to arrive a few days early to give your body a chance to adjust.
• Get plenty of rest before your trip. Starting out sleep deprived makes jet lag worse.
• Gradually adjust your schedule before you leave. If you're traveling east, try going to bed one hour earlier each night for a few days before your trip. If you're flying west, go to bed one hour later for several nights before you fly. If possible, eat meals closer to the time you'll be eating them during your trip.

Properly time bright light exposure. Light exposure is a prime influence on your body's circadian rhythms. After traveling west, expose yourself to light in the evening to help you adjust to a later than usual time zone. After traveling east, expose yourself to morning light to adapt to an earlier time zone.

The one exception is if you've traveled across more than eight time zones. Your body might mistake early-morning light for evening dusk. It also might mistake evening light for early-morning light.

So if you've traveled more than eight time zones to the east, wear sunglasses and avoid bright light in the morning. Then allow as much sunlight as possible in the late afternoon for the first few days in your new location.

If you've traveled west by more than eight time zones, avoid sunlight a few hours before dark for the first few days to adjust to the local time.

• Stay on your new schedule. Set your watch or phone to the new time before you leave. Once you reach your destination, try not to sleep until the local nighttime, no matter how tired you are. Try to time your meals with local mealtimes too.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water before, during and after your flight to counteract the effects of dry cabin air. Dehydration can make jet lag symptoms worse. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, as these can dehydrate you and affect your sleep.
• Try to sleep on the plane if it's nighttime at your destination. Earplugs, headphones and eye masks can help block noise and light. If it's daytime where you're going, resist the urge to sleep.
• Lee Y, et al. Circadian rhythms, disease and chronotherapy. Journal of Biological Rhythms. 2021; doi:10.1177/07487304211044301.
• Janse van Rensburg DC, et al. Managing travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes: A review and consensus statement. Sports Medicine. 2021; doi:10.1007/s40279-021-01502-0.
• Kryger M, et al., eds. Shift work, shift-work disorder, jet lag and jet lag disorder. In: Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 26, 2022.
• Loscalzo J, et al., eds. Sleep disorders. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 21st ed. McGraw Hill; 2022. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Accessed Oct. 26, 2022.
• Kellerman RD, et al. Sleep disorders. In: Conn's Current Therapy 2022. Elsevier; 2022. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Oct. 31, 2022.
• Jet lag. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/jet-lag. Accessed Oct. 26, 2022.
• During EH, et al. Irregular sleep-wake, non-24h sleep-wake, jet lag and shift work disorders. In: Clinical Sleep Medicine: A Comprehensive Guide for Mental Health and Other Medical Professionals. American Psychiatric Association Publishing. https://ebooks.appi.org. Accessed Oct. 28, 2023.
• Steele TA, et al. Circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders: A contemporary review of neurobiology, treatment and dysregulation in neurodegenerative disease. Neurotherapeutics. 2021; doi:10.1007/s13311-021-01031-8.
• Moroni I, et al. Pharmacokinetics of exogenous melatonin in relation to formulation, and effects on sleep: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2021; doi:10.1016/j.smrv. 2021.101431 .
• Melatonin. Facts & Comparisons eAnswers. https://fco.factsandcomparisons.com. Accessed Nov. 1, 2022.
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How to Adjust to a New Time Zone

Steer clear of jet lag with these easy tips

Traveling to a different time zone can be exciting—but the time change can take some getting used to. Depending on how far you travel, it may be necessary to take specific steps to adapt to a new time zone and avoid the symptoms of jet lag , which can make your journey less enjoyable.

Jet lag can cause you to feel ill as well as tired, and it can ruin a trip. Fortunately, there are ways to prepare for time zone transitions.

This article explains the signs of jet lag and strategies to help you avoid it or manage the symptoms.

Symptoms of Jet Lag

The most common symptoms of jet lag include:

• Mental confusion
• Slowing down of mental and physical abilities
• Irritability
• Muscle soreness

Being unable to move around during a long flight, dehydration, and disrupted eating schedules can contribute to these problems.

Light and Jet Lag

Light, whether from the sun or a lamp , has a strong effect on the body's circadian rhythms . That's one of the factors determining when you're alert and awake and when you're tired and need to sleep.

When you travel to another time zone, there's a dramatic shift in your exposure to light and a misalignment of your body’s sense of day and night. Until the circadian rhythm is reset, jet lag symptoms persist.

The sudden disruption of your circadian rhythms that occurs with jet lag can be distressing, especially the further you travel. If you fly from, say, the east coast of the United States to the west coast, you'll be crossing only a few time zones, and adjusting will be relatively easy. But if you cross oceans and continents it will be more challenging.

In general, it can take one day per time zone changed for circadian rhythms and sleep to get in sync. 

How quickly you switch time zones matters as well. Since driving or traveling by bus or even train takes longer than flying, your body has an opportunity to adjust to time zone changes gradually. For example, if it takes 10 hours to pass through a time zone while driving, then you essentially have a half-day to accommodate for the shift.

Finally, the direction of travel impacts circadian rhythms. You may have heard a frequent traveler say, "East is a beast, west is best." What he means is that traveling in a westward direction is often easier to tolerate because it is easier to shift the circadian rhythm to a later time. To think about it another way, consider how easy it is to stay up a few hours later in the night and how challenging it can be to wake up that much earlier in the morning.

Adjusting to a New Time Zone

If you're planning travel that will land you in a different time zone, severe jet lag isn't inevitable. There are ways to help you prepare your body for the change so that you can enjoy your trip with as little disruption to your sleep as possible.

Before your trip, figure out how much you'll need to shift your sleep and wake times to be in sync after you arrive. Allowing enough time to do it gradually, begin to go to bed earlier and get up earlier, or vice-versa depending on the direction you'll be traveling in, to get your body used to the new time zone before you have to live in it.

Make Yourself Stay Awake 

Delaying sleep generates a very robust sleep drive and may counteract some of the issues related to a misaligned circadian rhythm. Much like pulling an all-nighter, your desire for sleep will be exceptionally strong if you stay awake for a prolonged period , no matter what time zone you're in.

To reset yourself, try to stay awake on the plane and when you arrive. Once you're settled in, fight the urge to take a nap, and try to stay awake until your normal bedtime based on local time.

See the Light

The most important factor in resetting your body clock is light. If you can, get 15 to 30 minutes of direct sunlight as soon as you wake up. Go for a walk, eat breakfast outside, or just sit in the sun and read.

Keeping a regular bedtime and wake time with morning light exposure will help a great deal.

Deflect Drowsiness

When dealing with jet-lag-related daytime sleepiness, the same go-to remedies you use at home can help:

• Drink a cup of coffee or tea, but don't overdo your caffeine intake.
• Take a short nap when needed, sleeping for 20 minutes or less; longer naps may make you feel groggier when you wake up.
• Consider taking melatonin . A 5 mg dose can realign your circadian rhythm to the new time zone. Take it in the morning to set your internal clock to a later time and in the evening to set it to an earlier time.
• Don't drive when you're drowsy.

Returning Home

As your trip comes to an end, ease yourself into the change to come by gradually adjusting your bedtime and wake time in 30- to 60-minute increments towards the new clock setting. If this isn't possible, follow the same advice above to adjust to the new time zone at home.

Ambesh P, Shetty V, Ambesh S, Gupta SS, Kamholz S, Wolf L. Jet lag: Heuristics and therapeutics .  J Family Med Prim Care . 2018;7(3):507-510. doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_220_17

Fowler PM, Knez W, Crowcroft S, et al. Greater effect of east versus west travel on jet lag, sleep, and team sport performance . Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise . 2017;49(12):2548-2561. doi:10.1249/mss.0000000000001374

• Kryger, MH et al.  Principles  and Practice of Sleep Medicine.  Elsevier, 5th edition, 2011.

By Brandon Peters, MD Dr. Peters is a board-certified neurologist and sleep medicine specialist and is a fellow of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.

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Jet Lag: Get Back in the Rhythm

Insomnia, drowsiness and brain fog can all take some of the fun out of your first few days in a faraway place. You can’t avoid jet lag, but you can follow some tips to bounce back faster.

By Julie Weed

You finally made it to Paris, but instead of running up the Eiffel Tower, you’re passing out in your soufflé. Blame jet lag, when your body’s circadian rhythm — its expected sleep and wake times — is out of sync with your new location, leaving you with brain fog at midday or insomnia in the wee hours. Not everyone has the same body clock, of course, and no two trips are exactly the same, but there are some tricks that could help you get your zip back quicker.

Shift before you go

The time differential and the direction you are traveling each contribute to jet lag, said Jay Olson, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Toronto Mississauga who has studied the phenomenon. Dr. Olson said that traveling westward, when you need to stay up and wake up later to match the new time zone, is easier for most people than traveling eastward, when you are expected to do the opposite.

For shorter trips, make a gradual one-hour shift per day for the number of time zones you’ll cross, said Dr. Vishesh Kapur, founder of the University of Washington Sleep Medicine Center .

For example, if you are flying from California to Massachusetts — crossing three time zones — try progressively going to bed and waking up an hour earlier each day for three days before the trip. It’s usually not necessary to shift your bedtime before traveling less than three time zones west, he said.

Harness the power of light

Bright light helps keep our internal clock in sync with the outside world, traveling through specialized cells in the retina and signaling the part of the brain that sets the body’s master schedule. So, for longer trips, seek out or avoid bright light at specific times, said Dr. Olson. Starting a few days before your trip, gradually shift the light and dark times of your origin toward that of your destination, using dark glasses, sunlight or other light sources.

In the first few days of your trip, figuring out the best times to get light can be tricky. Let’s say you take an overnight flight from New York to London, arriving at 7 a.m. Your brain may still feel as if it’s 2 a.m., and getting bright light right away could confuse your internal clock. In this case, you may want to put on dark glasses for a few hours, then go out in the sun when it is closer to your waking time at home, extending your London day.

On long trips to Asia — when day and night are reversed — it is often easier to shift your cycle backward, said Mickey Beyer-Clausen, chief executive of Timeshifter , which makes a jet lag app of the same name. For example, when flying nonstop from New York to Tokyo, which is 13 hours ahead, think of it as being 11 hours behind (jet lag does not consider the international date line). That means if you land at, say, 2 p.m. in Japan — 1 a.m. in New York — you need to counter the fact that your New York brain is winding down for sleep. This means seeking out bright light all afternoon, especially in the evening, until bedtime in Japan. You can also get a head start on adapting to Japanese time if you go to bed and seek out light later than normal for two nights before you leave New York.

Online tools like Jet Lag Rooster and Timeshifter help create a customized schedule based on variables like time zone differences, departure and arrival times, and other factors.

Consider melatonin

If you are having trouble getting to sleep earlier in anticipation of traveling east, Dr. Kapur suggests taking one milligram of over-the-counter melatonin about four hours before bed, up to three days before the trip. (Melatonin is a substance that is produced naturally in the body as night falls, signaling that it is time to go to sleep.) This small dose is best for reducing jet lag, Dr. Olson said, because studies show a larger dose doesn’t necessarily work better and is more likely to produce side effects. Travelers should be aware that as a dietary supplement, melatonin is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration .

Grab a quick nap

If you’re feeling drained as your body adjusts to the new time zone, curl up for a 20-minute snooze, said Dr. Kapur. If you nap longer than that, he cautions, the brain fog may worsen or you may have trouble falling asleep at night.

Refresh with a layover shower

A spritz at the airport between long flights can work wonders for a tired body. Airports with public pay showers include Tokyo Narita International Airport , Munich Airport and San Francisco International Airport . At some airports, only specific lounges — like the Delta Sky Club at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport — offer showers. If you’re not a member, don’t have access through a credit card and really need a boost, consider a day pass. The IGA Lounge in Istanbul International Airport, for example, costs $65. All offer towels, soap and shampoo.

Make the most of the lag

If you expect to be up super late or early as your body adjusts, plan ahead. Early in the trip, you may have the most energy for a visit to the Patpong Night Market in Bangkok , the early-morning tuna auction at the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo or a predawn excursion to see the sunrise at Haleakala volcano in Maui.

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

The Alaska Highway:  On an epic road trip, a family plots a course from Alaska to the Lower 48, passing through some of Canada’s most spectacular scenery .

Minorca:  Spend 36 hours on this slow-paced Spanish island , which offers a quieter and wilder retreat than its more touristy neighbors.

Japan:  A new high-speed train stop unlocks Kaga, a destination for hot springs, nourishing food and traditional crafts , as an easy-to-reach getaway from Tokyo.

London:  The Victoria and Albert Museum is a treasure trove of art and design. Here’s one besotted visitor’s plan for taking it all in .

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Peer reviewed by Dr Colin Tidy, MRCGP Last updated by Dr Hayley Willacy, FRCGP Last updated 19 Jul 2023

Meets Patient’s editorial guidelines

In this series: Health advice for travel abroad Travelling to remote locations Ears and flying Motion sickness Altitude sickness

Jet lag occurs after travelling rapidly across several time zones, because the body's internal clock has not adjusted to the required sleep-wake cycle in the new time zone.

Jet lag causes physical and psychological symptoms, the severity of which increases with the number of time zones crossed and direction of travel. Eastward travel, when hours are 'gained' is associated with worse jet lag than westward travel, when hours are 'lost.'

In this article :

What causes jet lag, what are the symptoms of jet lag, when to see a doctor about jet lag, who gets jet lag, do some people get worse jet lag than others, how long does jet lag last, why does travelling east cause worse jet lag than travelling west, how can i prevent jet lag, how do i get over jet lag when i arrive, do commercial light devices help with jet lag, do jet lag calculators help with jet lag, do coloured spectacles help with jet lag, do sleeping tablets help with jet lag, what is the circadian rhythm, does taking melatonin help with jet lag, how do i prevent jet lag in my baby or toddler, how do i treat jet lag in my baby or toddler.

Continue reading below

Jet lag is a group of symptoms caused by disruption to the natural rhythms of the body, called circadian rhythm, by moving quickly across the world's time zones. It results from a temporary mismatch between the body's internal clock and the destination sleep/wake schedule.

This can either make it hard to fall asleep, or make you sleepy when you're trying to stay awake. It can also cause dizziness , indigestion , nausea , constipation , altered appetite and mild anxiety .

Before the advent of fast air travel, long journeys were slow enough for us to adjust gradually to different time zones as we travelled. Jet lag occurs when we travel so fast that we 'gain' or 'lose' extra hours more quickly than our body's capacity to adjust allows.

You don't need to travel to get jet lag. Shift work or a series of late nights can have the same effect. This also puts your melatonin and cortisol clocks out of synch with the daylight hours that you need to work to.

If you are travelling over only one or two, or possibly three, time zones, jet lag is not usually a problem. It usually affects people travelling across more than three time zones. So if the time at your destination is more than three hours different to that at the start of your journey, you are likely to experience jet lag. The more the time difference, the greater the problem jet lag is likely to be.

Jet lag only affects people travelling quickly. If you are travelling more slowly, by boat or car, your body clock will be able to adjust gradually.

The most common symptoms of jet lag are related to sleep. You may have difficulty getting to sleep at bedtime and struggle to wake up in the morning, or you may be tired long before bedtime and wake up while it is still night and too early to get up.

The effect of this difficulty with sleeping is feeling tired and not being able to function as well as usual. Common symptoms include:

Tiredness, which can be severe.

Sleepiness.

Disturbed and wakeful nights.

Feeling light-headed or 'spaced out.'

Feeling jittery, anxious or shaky.

Having a fine tremor.

Poor concentration and memory.

Being less co-ordinated than usual.

Irritability.

Low mood and weepiness.

Homesickness.

Not wanting to join in normal activities.

Poorer performance in sports than usual (particularly a problem for athletes).

Constipation .

Poor appetite.

Nausea and indigestion.

Other aspects of travel, such as cabin pressure, can also have an effect on your digestion. Changes in cabin pressure can cause both lack of fluid in the body (dehydration) and bloating, which may contribute to your symptoms.

Complications

Some of the symptoms of jet lag (such as poor concentration, or feeling 'spaced out') may cause problems performing complex (potentially dangerous) tasks, such as driving or operating machinery. You should not drive if you feel you are not functioning normally.

If you are not recovering from jet lag and your symptoms are causing problems (such as sleep disturbance, disrupted appetite or altered mood - anxiety and depression), you should see your doctor. They can assess your symptoms and suggest how to manage them.

Risk factors

People who travel frequently, particularly airline pilots and crew, are most likely to have problems with jet lag. Most people who fly very long distances will be affected, particularly if they fly coach class and can't easily manage to sleep on the flight even when they are sleepy.

Jet lag can be a problem for athletes competing in different parts of the world, as it is likely to affect physical performance. It is also a concern for business travellers as it may cloud their thinking for several days.

People vary in their ability to adjust to travel across time zones. Whilst people will take on average one day to correct for each hour, once they have crossed more than three time zones, some people take longer than this.

There is a small subgroup of people whose adjustment is very slow to begin, so that their circadian clock does not initially shift. You may know if you are one of these people, as you may experience worse jet lag than others. If this is the case then consider starting the jet lag preparations detailed here 4-5 days prior to travel, rather than only 2-3 days beforehand.

The circadian 'clock' is capable of adjusting by 1-2 hours each day without too much difficulty, so that we can accommodate variety in bedtime and getting up times - but adjusting to more than three hours or more can take time - roughly a day for each hour's adjustment. Three hours is borderline - some people will notice it, others will not.

The principle behind jet lag is that we need a similar amount of quality sleep, in one stretch. It's not easy to make ourselves sleep for extra hours when we travel, so we mainly need to move the sleep time, increasing or reducing our awake time.

Travelling to the west is easier as the brain finds it easier to move its clock back (by delaying release of melatonin and cortisol and sleeping later), than to move it forward (releasing it earlier).

Travelling to the east is harder, because you have to try to go to sleep when you are not tired, and without your body having produced the melatonin that usually helps this happen.

It is possible to avoid jet lag but it needs commitment and advance planning. The main key to these strategies is getting enough quality sleep in the few days before your trip, whilst trying to move your sleep period forwards or backwards.

If you try these strategies for 2-3 days before travel (4-5 days if you are a slow adjuster) then you can 'advance adjust' your circadian rhythm and reduce or even eliminate jet lag.

How do I reduce jet lag when travelling west?

If you are travelling west then you will gain time, so the principle of preventing jet lag is to prepare in advance by convincing your body it is earlier than it is, whilst continuing to get the right amount of quality sleep.

You won't be able to sleep for longer than usual, so you need to move your sleep period to later.

Try to stay in bright light in the evening, so that you delay release of melatonin until the new bedtime, and avoid bright lights in the morning, so your brain will think the sun hasn't risen yet.

Exercising at night will increase your body temperature, which will also shift your clock backwards. Staying up and sleeping in late will help even more.

How do I reduce jet lag when travelling east?

If you are travelling east, then you will lose time, so the principle of preventing jet lag is to convince your body it is later than it is, whilst continuing to get enough quality sleep.

You won't be able to sleep for longer than usual, and your challenge is to move your sleep period backwards and convince your body it is later than it really is. Long-haul flights east from the UK usually dim the lights early to assist you with this.

Avoid light as much as possible in the evening.

Go to sleep early, and get plenty of bright light when you wake up.

It also helps to exercise soon after rising, to increase your body temperature.

It is possible that taking melatonin may help (see below).

What should I do to ward off jet lag once I reach my destination?

Once you get to your destination use light to assist your body's adjustment to the new time zone - plenty of light (and exercise) in the morning and during the day, and darkness at night.

Avoid power napping when you're trying to adjust your clock.

Don't think about the old time zone at all - reset your watch and eat, stay well-hydrated, exercise and sleep in the new zone.

Avoid alcohol until you feel you have fully adjusted.

The most effective treatments for jet lag rely on shifting the circadian clock to the new time zone as fast as possible.

If you don't have time to prepare and experience jet lag, it will gradually subside on its own after a few days, as your body clock adapts to the new time zone. There are a number of strategies to help you get over it more quickly:

Ensure good-quality sleep in the darkness

After arrival at your destination, try to change your schedule to the new time zone as quickly as possible.

Avoid going to sleep until it is a reasonable bedtime for the new time zone. Then turn all the lights out, and use ear plugs if others have not settled to sleep.

Set alarms to stop you oversleeping in the morning. When you get up, turn the lights on.

Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol in the six hours before you plan to sleep as they may interfere with your sleep cycle.

Prior to going to bed, try to relax. Avoid large meals, heavy exercise and exciting books or films before sleeping.

Shortwave or 'blue' light is thought to be most important in stopping melatonin being released. Therefore, glasses which block out blue light may help you release melatonin earlier than usual. It may therefore be helpful to wear them for a couple of hours before bed, although more research is needed. This would only be helpful if you are trying to bring forward the time you go to sleep - for example, after travelling east.

Ensure wakefulness when it's daylight

Warm up in the morning with light exercise and a hot shower.

If you normally exercise at night, consider switching your routine and exercising in the morning.

Caffeine-containing drinks such as coffee may help keep you awake until it is a reasonable time to go to sleep.

Expose yourself to outside natural light as much as possible. This will help your internal clock adjust.

If you are only in the new time zone for two to three days it may be easier to stay on your original timings. Eat and go to sleep at times that would be normal for you, even if they aren't the right times for the place you are now in. This may not be practical for everybody, as it depends on what you want or need to do while you are away.

Some people use light boxes or commercial light devices to increase their light exposure. This may be helpful.

Various commercial light boxes and light devices are marketed for jet lag - many of them are also marketed for seasonal affective disorder (SAD) .

Large boxes are easier to sit in front of, and usually more tolerable.

Small light boxes and worn devices are more portable.

Light boxes that can produce blue light, and which use LEDs, may be more effective because the circadian system is most sensitive to blue light.

Several online calculators, apps and devices are available to tell the traveller how and when to use the light, when to seek darkness and to seek normal daylight in the days after travelling.

Jet lag calculators are online tools that give you an 'adjustment programme' to try to prepare for international travel. The idea is that you put your travel details into the calculator and it tells you how to adjust your sleeping patterns prior to, and during, travel.

Many of them are based around the use of light devices, some of which are marketed by the makers of the app or calculator.

Some calculators may be based on expecting a faster adjustment than the one hour per day recovery which most researchers agree is typical for most of us. This means that the timetables offered over several days are not always helpful - they may, in other words, give you too much light too soon. Using the light devices before travel, to prepare for the new time zone, is thought to help reduce this problem.

The idea of wearing coloured specs on the plane relates to the fact that melatonin production is reduced by the presence of blue light. Coloured specs - they usually look red - filter out the blue light. The idea is that these are worn for a couple of hours before you want to sleep, particularly when travelling east, to try to stimulate your natural melatonin production in order to start to shift your circadian rhythm.

There are currently no treatments specifically licensed for jet lag. This is partly because adjusting the sleep-wake cycle is complicated, and affected by travel itself.

We all adjust differently, and the time at which medicines need to be taken in order to make things better rather than worse, differs between individuals and journeys.

Sleeping tablets are often considered by those trying to get back into a sleeping pattern. However, most doctors will advise against this. Sleeping tablets do not treat jet lag; they only mask it because they don't reset your circadian rhythm, they just sedate you.

They are highly addictive and can affect your ability to fall asleep by yourself even after only a couple of days of use. You also may be more irritable, and perform less well, when you wake.

We all have an internal clock, managing our body through day and night. Many of the systems in our bodies are affected by it, including appetite and energy levels, and sleepiness. The normal cycle, of sleeping at night and being alert and active in daytime, is called the circadian rhythm.

All living beings, even plants, have an internal clock. The rhythm is a response to the cycle of daylight and darkness.

There are two main components to our internal clock. These are melatonin (produced by a gland in our brain called the pineal gland) and cortisol, (produced by the adrenal gland, on top of the kidney).

Both affect arousal (alertness), sleepiness, mood, energy level, and body temperature, and both are mainly regulated by an area of the brain called the hypothalamus, a kind of central control zone located at the base of the brain, behind your eyes.

What is melatonin?

Melatonin is one of the main hormones involved in helping you sleep. Melatonin production occurs mainly when it is dark. Bright artificial light, blue light and natural light, can reduce melatonin levels.

Higher melatonin levels are associated with better sleep quality, reduction in depression, and better cognitive performance (this means performance in tasks like attention, reaction time, visual memory and mental maths).

The brain releases melatonin an hour or two before you normally sleep. At the same time body temperature begins to fall, reaching its lowest temperature in the early hours of the morning.

What is cortisol?

An hour or two before expected waking, your body releases cortisol, and then adrenaline (epinephrine). These hormones increase arousal and wakefulness. If levels are high they can make you anxious or uneasy.

Once you have crossed more than three time zones it typically takes the cortisol production pattern one full day to adjust for every time zone crossed. It takes four days to adjust to a four-hour change (even though a two-hour or even a three-hour change can usually be managed without jet lag).

Melatonin is often suggested and discussed as a remedy for jet lag. It is not a licensed treatment, although it is a tablet form of the natural melatonin hormone which your brain produces. You might imagine, from reading this leaflet, that melatonin would help jet lag. However, the truth is more complicated.

A wide body of research suggests that melatonin pills do effectively shift the circadian clock and can be a useful tool for reducing jet lag, particularly when travelling east.

Melatonin is available from health food shops as a dietary supplement.

However, it is also not yet known what dose should be used, or exactly when melatonin should be taken.

Some evidence suggests that melatonin can prevent jet lag if taken as part of the advance preparation for jet lag detailed above.

One possible downside of taking melatonin is that adjusting to a new time zone means adjusting your OWN circadian clock, which means producing your OWN melatonin. Until you do that you won't have adjusted, so even though taking large doses of melatonin can make you sleepy, it's not adjusting your body, and it may actually interfere with your body's own efforts to adjust, simply delaying the jet lag without preventing it.

At the best of times, it can be difficult to get your baby or toddler to sleep at the right time, and when you are travelling and everything is strange, worrying, tense or exciting then trying to get them to sleep when you want them to can be an impossible task.

Should I sedate my baby or toddler to avoid jet lag?

Some people try to sedate their children with antihistamine-type sedatives. Unfortunately, this is not a great solution. Only a really high dose of a sedative will make a child sleep when they don't want to - a higher dose than you would want to give for travel.

Lower doses risk making them irritable and drowsy without being sleepy, potentially making them tired and fractious. Worse than this, once the medication wears off they tend to suffer from a 'rebound' agitation which may make them irritable, upset and shaky.

Do what your baby does

The preparations above for jet lag only work if you are free to do them. If you are working around a baby or toddler when you are travelling you will need to try to rest when they rest, and accept the need to be awake when they are awake.

You can help yourself by preparing, as much as you can, before you travel, using others to help you get the sleep you need to try to adjust in advance to the new time zone.

Helping your baby adjust to a new time zone

When you reach your destination and your child is wide awake, give them breakfast. Their jet lag is telling them it is time for breakfast and you won't be able to convince them otherwise.

Accept that you can't sleep and, if you are tired, just try to be as restful as possible. Read favourite books, give them a warm bath, try not to overstimulate them, but to relax them. Eventually they will need to sleep, but they may hold out longer than you thought possible.

After an interval of 2-3 hours, if they are calm, fed and happy, try a bedtime routine again - pyjamas, quiet and darkness may all signal to your baby or toddler than it's time to sleep. If they sleep then sleep yourself, and try to make sure nobody disturbs them until they've slept it off.

See also the separate leaflet called Travelling to Remote Locations for further advice on travelling with young children .

Dr Mary Lowth is an author or the original author of this leaflet.

Further reading and references

• Doane LD, Kremen WS, Eaves LJ, et al ; Associations between jet lag and cortisol diurnal rhythms after domestic travel. Health Psychol. 2010 Mar;29(2):117-23. doi: 10.1037/a0017865.
• Eastman CI, Burgess HJ ; How To Travel the World Without Jet lag. Sleep Med Clin. 2009 Jun 1;4(2):241-255. doi: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2009.02.006.
• Sleep disorders - shift work and jet lag ; NICE CKS, September 2023 (UK access only)
• Janse van Rensburg DC, Jansen van Rensburg A, Fowler PM, et al ; Managing Travel Fatigue and Jet Lag in Athletes: A Review and Consensus Statement. Sports Med. 2021 Oct;51(10):2029-2050. doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01502-0. Epub 2021 Jul 14.

Article history

The information on this page is written and peer reviewed by qualified clinicians.

Next review due: 17 Jul 2028

19 jul 2023 | latest version.

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• Section 8 - Deep Vein Thrombosis & Pulmonary Embolism
• Section 8 - Road & Traffic Safety

CDC Yellow Book 2024

Author(s): Greg Atkinson, Alan Batterham, Andrew Thompson

Jet lag results from a mismatch between a person’s circadian (24-hour) rhythms and the time of day in the new time zone. When establishing risk of jet lag, first determine how many time zones a traveler will cross and what the discrepancy will be between time of day at home and at the destination at arrival. During the first few days after a flight to a new time zone, a person’s circadian rhythms are still anchored to the time of day at their initial departure location. Rhythms then adjust gradually to the new time zone.

A useful web-based tool for world time zone travel information is available. For travelers crossing ≤3 time zones, especially if they are on a long-haul flight, symptoms (e.g., tiredness) are likely due to fatigue rather than jet lag, and symptoms should abate 1–3 days post-flight.

Many people flying >3 time zones for a vacation accept the risk for jet lag as a transient and mild inconvenience, but people traveling on business or to compete in athletic events might desire advice on prophylactic measures and treatments. If a traveler spends ≤2 days in the new time zone, they might prefer to anchor their sleep–wake schedule to the time of day at home as much as possible. Consider recommending short-acting hypnotics or alertness-enhancing drugs (e.g., caffeine) for such travelers to minimize total burden of jet lag during short round trips.

Clinical Presentation

Jet lag symptoms can be difficult to define because of variation among people and because the same person can experience different symptoms after each flight. Jet-lagged travelers typically experience ≥1 of the following symptoms after flying across >3 time zones: gastrointestinal disturbances, decreased interest in food or enjoyment of meals; negative feelings (e.g., anxiety, depression, fatigue, headache, inability to concentrate, irritability); poor performance of physical and mental tasks during the new daytime; and classically, poor sleep, including (but not limited to) difficulty initiating sleep at the usual time of night (after eastward flights), early awakening (after westward flights), and fractionated sleep (after flights in either direction).

Symptoms are difficult to distinguish from the general fatigue resulting from international travel itself, as well as from other travel factors (e.g., hypoxia in the aircraft cabin). Validated multi-symptom measurement tools (e.g., Liverpool Jet Lag Index) can help distinguish between jet lag and fatigue. When travelers cross only 1–2 time zones, though, symptoms of and treatment for jet lag are not readily distinguishable from those for general travel fatigue.

In addition to jet lag symptoms, crossing multiple time zones can affect the timing of regular medication used for chronic conditions and illnesses. This can particularly affect patients taking medications with short half-lives that require >1 dose each day. Consider the destination and traveling time when evaluating travelers who take long-term medications, and recommend strategies to keep them on their dosing schedule.

Prevention & Treatment

Travelers use many approaches—before, during, and after flying—to reduce jet lag symptoms. In one survey, 460 long-haul travelers indicated that seat selection and booking a direct flight were primary strategies to reduce jet lag. Nearly all study participants used ≥1 behavioral strategy during their flight, including consuming or avoiding alcohol and caffeine (81%), altering food intake (68%), using light exposure (53%), periodic walking down the aisle of the plane (35%), and taking medication (15%), including melatonin (8%). Only 1 respondent used a jet lag application on a mobile device. Fewer people used all these strategies before take-off and after arrival.

After arrival, light and social contacts influence the timing of internal circadian rhythms. A traveler staying in the time zone for >2 days should quickly try to adjust to the local sleep–wake schedule as much as possible.

Diet & Physical Activity

Most dietary interventions or functional foods have not been proven to reduce jet lag symptoms in randomized controlled trials and real flight conditions (see Sec. 2, Ch. 14, Complementary & Integrative Health Approaches to Travel Wellness ). Most trials are in simulated flight conditions and have a high risk of bias, including studies looking at the effectiveness of  Centella asiatica , elderberry, echinacea, pinokinase, and diets containing various levels of fiber, fluids, or macronutrients. In one study, long-haul flight crew who adopted more regular mealtimes showed a small improvement in their general subjective rating of jet lag, but not the separate symptoms of alertness or jet lag, on their days off work.

Because gastrointestinal disturbance is a common jet lag symptom, travelers might better tolerate smaller meals than larger ones before and during the flight; this strategy has not been investigated in a formal trial, however. Travelers might find caffeine and physical activity can help ameliorate daytime sleepiness at the destination, but little evidence exists to indicate that these interventions reduce overall feelings of jet lag. Any purported treatments based on use of acupressure, aromatherapy, or homeopathy have no scientific basis.

Hypnotic Medications

Prescription medications (e.g., temazepam, zolpidem, zopiclone) can reduce sleep loss during and after travel but do not necessarily help resynchronize circadian rhythms or improve overall jet lag symptoms. If indicated, prescribe the lowest effective dose of a short- to medium-acting compound for the initial few days of travel, bearing in mind these drugs do have adverse effects. In 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning about rare but serious adverse events (i.e., injuries caused by sleepwalking) occurring after patients took some sleep medications; adverse events were more commonly reported with eszopiclone, zaleplon, and zolpidem.

Caution travelers about taking hypnotics during a flight because the resulting immobility could increase the risk for deep vein thrombosis. Travelers should not use alcohol as a sleep aid, because it disrupts sleep and can provoke obstructive sleep apnea.

Exposure to bright light can advance or delay human circadian rhythms depending on when it is received in relation to a person’s body clock time. Consequently, some researchers have proposed schedules for good and bad times for light exposure after arrival in a new time zone.

The best circadian time for light exposure might be at a time that is dark after crossing multiple time zones, raising the question of whether a light box is helpful. One small randomized controlled trial on supplementary bright light for reducing jet lag did not find clinically relevant effects of supplementary light on jet lag symptoms after a flight across 5 time zones going west.

Melatonin & Melatonin-Receptor Analogs

Probably the most well-known treatment for jet lag, melatonin, is secreted at night by the pineal gland. Melatonin delays circadian rhythms when taken during the rising phase of body temperature (usually the morning) and advances rhythms when ingested during the falling phase of body temperature (usually the evening). These effects are opposite to those of bright light.

The instructions on most products advise travelers to take melatonin before nocturnal sleep in the new time zone, irrespective of the number of time zones crossed or direction of travel. Studies published in the mid-1980s indicated a substantial benefit of taking melatonin just before sleep to reduce overall feelings of jet lag after flights. Subsequent larger studies did not replicate these earlier findings, however, and more research on melatonin’s use in jet lag is needed.

Melatonin is a very popular sleep aid for jet lag in the United States, and no serious side effects have been linked to its use, although long-term studies have not been conducted. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the US National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health suggest that melatonin could be used to reduce symptoms of jet lag, although they caution that melatonin might not be safe when combined with some other medications. In addition, melatonin is considered a dietary supplement in the United States and is not regulated by the FDA. Therefore, the advertised concentration of melatonin has not been confirmed for most products on the market, and the presence of contaminants cannot be ruled out (see Sec. 2, Ch. 14, Complementary & Integrative Health Approaches to Travel Wellness ).

A recent UK Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin stated that melatonin might increase the frequency of seizures in people with epilepsy. In addition, because it can potentially induce proinflammatory cytokine production, melatonin should not be taken by those with autoimmune diseases. Due to the potential for these problems, and the limited evidence from randomized controlled trials for any benefits, melatonin is not recommended in the United Kingdom.

Ramelteon, a melatonin-receptor agonist, is an FDA-approved treatment for insomnia. One milligram taken just before bedtime can decrease sleep onset latency after eastward travel across 5 time zones. Higher doses do not seem to lead to further improvements, and the effect of this medication on other symptoms of jet lag and the timing of circadian rhythms is unclear. In a well-designed multicenter trial involving simulated jet lag conditions, tasimelteon (a dual melatonin-receptor agonist) improved jet lag symptoms, including nighttime insomnia and daytime functioning; real-world evidence is needed to support or refute its use in the amelioration of jet lag.

Mobile Applications

Several mobile device applications (apps) can provide tailored advice to manage jet lag symptoms. Depending on how many time zones the traveler has passed through.  Timeshifter provides advice on when to use caffeine, light, melatonin, and sleep. Another app offering tailored advice was tested for use over several months of frequent flying. Participants reported reduced fatigue compared with the comparator group and improved aspects of health-related behavior (e.g., physical activity, snacking, and sleep quality) but not other measures of sleep (e.g., duration, latency, use of sleep-related medication). Although this and other apps are based on information from published laboratory-based experiments, they lack randomized controlled trials on their effectiveness for reducing jet lag symptoms after actual long-haul flights.

Combination Treatments

Multiple therapies to decrease jet lag symptoms can be combined into treatment packages. Marginal gains from multiple treatments could aggregate. In one small trial, a treatment package involving light exposure and sleep hygiene advice improved sleep quality and physical performance after an eastward flight across 8 time zones. The American Sleep Association offers general sleep hygiene advice .

In general, no cure is available for jet lag. Instead, focus counseling on factors known from laboratory simulations to alter circadian timing. Until more randomized controlled trials of treatments prescribed before, during, or after transmeridian flights are published, focus on providing robust, evidence-based advice.

The following authors contributed to the previous version of this chapter: Greg Atkinson, Ronnie Henry, Alan M. Batterham, Andrew Thompson

Bibliography

Bin YS, Ledger S, Nour M, Postnova S, Stamatikis E, Cistulli PA, et al. How do travelers manage jetlag and travel fatigue? A survey of passengers on long-haul flights. Chronobiol Int. 2020;37(11):1621–8. 

Herxheimer A. Jet lag. BMJ Clin Evid. 2014;2014:2303. 

Janse van Rensburg DC, Fowler P, Racinais S. Practical tips to manage travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes. Br J Sports Med. 2021;55(15):821–2. 

Ledger S, Bin YS, Nour M, Cistulli P, Bauman A, Allman-Farinelli M, et al. Internal consistency and convergent and divergent validity of the Liverpool jetlag questionnaire. Chronobiol Int. 2020;37(2):218–26. 

Melatonin for jet lag. Drug Ther Bull. 2020;58(2):21–4. 

Ruscitto C, Ogden J. The impact of an implementation intention to improve mealtimes and reduce jet lag in long-haul cabin crew. Psychol Health. 2016;32(1):61–77 

Thompson A, Batterham AM, Jones H, Gregson W, Scott D, Atkinson G. The practicality and effectiveness of supplementary bright light for reducing jet-lag in elite female athletes. Int J Sports Med. 2013;34(7):582–9. 

Van Drongelen A, Boot CR, Hlobil H, Twisk JW, Smid T, Van der Beek AJ. Evaluation of an mHealth intervention aiming to improve health-related behavior and sleep and reduce fatigue among airline pilots. Scand J Work Environ Health. 2014;40(6):557–68. 

Waterhouse J, Reilly T, Atkinson G, Edwards B. Jet lag: trends and coping strategies. Lancet. 2007;369(9567):1117–29.

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Circadian Rhythm Disorders

What is jet lag symptoms, causes, treatment, and prevention.

How to Treat Jet Lag

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If you’ve ever flown across several time zones — from the East Coast to the West Coast, for example, or from the United States to Europe — you’re probably familiar with jet lag. It’s the feeling of fatigue, fuzzy-headedness, and all-around sluggishness that can accompany some types of long-distance travel.

“Jet lag reflects the fact that there are lots of clocks inside our body that regulate a lot of functions, and they all want to be in rhythm,” says Michael Grandner, PhD , an associate professor of medicine and the director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “When there’s a mismatch between the time input from your environment and where your body’s clocks are set, that’s what causes jet lag.”

While jet lag is normal and no cause for concern — pretty much everyone will become jet-lagged if the time difference involved in a trip is large enough — it can be unpleasant. In rare cases, it may even be persistent or severe enough to warrant medical attention.

The good news is that there are proven ways to help your body prepare and adjust to a time-zone shift, thus minimizing the effects of jet lag.

Common Questions & Answers

Yes. Jet Lag Rooster is an online calculator that can help you figure out how to adjust your sleep and light-exposure schedules to overcome jet lag. It is recommended by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine — and it’s free.

What Is Jet Lag?

Let’s get back to those “clocks” inside your body.

“We have a central circadian clock in the brain, and more recently it was discovered that every cell in the body has its own clock,” says Helen Burgess, PhD , a professor of psychiatry and the codirector of the sleep and circadian research laboratory at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

These clocks regulate your body’s temperature, its metabolism, its production and release of hormones, and many other important bodily functions, she says. “For example, about three hours before you wake up, your circadian clock will [trigger changes to] start to raise your body temperature, raise your cortisol levels, and get you ready to start your day,” she says.

These clocks operate on a 24-hour light-dark cycle, and depend on natural sunlight and cues like your sleep and mealtimes to stay on track. When you jump abruptly from one time zone to another (and start eating, sleeping, and getting sun at times that don’t correspond to when your body’s clocks expect you to), this misalignment creates internal confusion.

The greater the time shift, the greater the misalignment and confusion. “Your clocks will adjust, but that takes time,” she says. “While that’s happening, your mood, sleep, digestive system, immune system — basically everything can feel a bit out of whack.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes jet lag as “a mismatch between a person’s normal daily rhythms and a new time zone.”

An  article in the New England Journal of Medicine defined it as “a recognized sleep disorder that results from crossing time zones too rapidly for the circadian clock to keep pace.”

Furthermore, the most recent edition of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-3) (the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s manual of sleep disorders) considers jet lag a subtype of circadian rhythm disorder, which puts it in the same family as shift work disorders.

While some other circadian rhythm disorders are similar to jet lag in that they’re related to circadian misalignment, they are distinct and separate sleep issues. One example is so-called social jet lag. “This is when your sleep-wake schedule shifts by more than two hours, like on the weekend,” Dr. Burgess says. “Like jet lag, this can create a mismatch between your environment and your internal clocks.”

Signs and Symptoms of Jet Lag

According to the ICSD-3, jet lag can cause many symptoms. “Many systems in the body are tied into these circadian clocks, which is why so many systems can be affected,” Dr. Grandner says.

Sleep disturbances — such as problems falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night — are the most common and obvious symptom, according to jet lag research in the journal Chest .

Some other symptoms of jet lag include:

• Daytime sleepiness
• Poor or depressed mood
• Poor physical performance
• Confusion or cognitive impairment
• Gut discomfort or other GI disturbances

Your immune system may also take a hit, which may increase the odds that you catch a cold or other illness. “This is one reason why a lot of people get sick when they travel,” Grandner says.

Causes and Risk Factors of Jet Lag

These are pretty simple and straightforward. “The International Classification of Sleep Disorders says you may have jet lag if you cross two or more time zones,” Burgess says.

She says that eastward travel tends to cause a more trouble than westward travel. That’s because the circadian clock in the brain, when not regulated by light exposure, naturally tends to lengthen each day. “So most of us have this in-built tendency to drift a little bit later each day,” she says.

Since westward travel extends the length of your travel day, rather than shortening it, this better aligns with your clock’s natural inclination.

Grandner points out that other types of travel, apart from jet airplane travel, could lead to jet lag. For example, if you traversed two or more time zones by car or train in a short amount of time.

If you don’t take steps to adjust to your new time zone, that can worsen or prolong jet lag. Don't take naps all day, for example, or sleep a lot later than you normally would, he says.

As soon as possible, you want to try to adjust your habits to your new time zone, he says. (More on ways to manage jet lag below.)

When Jet Lag Is a Disorder

The ICSD-3 lists the following three criteria. If you have all three, you can be diagnosed as having jet lag disorder:

• You experience insomnia or daytime sleepiness following travel across at least two time zones.
• You experience problems thinking or concentrating, malaise, or physical symptoms such as GI discomfort within one to two days after travel.
• Your sleep disturbance is not better explained by another current sleep disorder, medical or neurologic disorder, mental disorder, medication use, or substance use disorder.

If you’re reading that list and thinking, “Well, I usually have these symptoms after long trips,” that’s nothing to worry about. “Pretty much anyone who feels jet lag could be diagnosed based on the criteria, but this isn’t a chronic condition,” Grandner says. “It’s not like you can have chronic jet lag that lasts for months or years.”

He says most people who experience jet lag, including those who meet all the criteria for a disorder, don’t need treatment and will get better on their own after a few days or, at the very most, two weeks.

When should you see a doctor? “If more than a few days have passed and it’s still significantly interfering with your health and your ability to function, then you could see someone,” he says.

Duration of Jet Lag: How Long It Lasts

How long jet lag lasts depends on the time difference between your point of departure and your destination. The greater the time difference, the longer it tends to take your body to adjust.

Researchers have found that, on average, it takes people about one day to adjust for each 1 to 1.5 hours of time change. So if you fly from the East Coast to the West Coast, which is a three-hour time difference, you should be over your jet lag in two to three days.

“That one-hour-per-day is a rough rule,” Burgess says. And remember, eastward travel eastward tends to create a little more jet lag than traveling west, she says.

Treatment and Medication Options for Jet Lag

There are a number of ways to treat jet lag, apart from simply waiting it out. While drug options are available, experts say behavioral adjustments are typically the best remedy.

Lifestyle and Behavioral Changes That Can Help With Jet Lag

First of all, you’ll want to adapt your old routines to your new time zone. “As soon as you get on the plane, get in the mindset that you’re on your destination’s time zone,” Grandner says. “Change your watch right away and use the destination time to plan when you’re eating, when you’re sleeping, and when you’re working.”

In other words, act like you’re already fully acclimated to that new time zone and you’re back on your typical schedule. If you normally go to bed at 11 and get up at 7, and you normally eat meals at specific times of the day, follow that schedule in your new time zone.

It won’t be easy at first — you likely won’t be tired or hungry at the right times — but it will help push your internal clocks in the right direction, he says.

If you want to take a more proactive approach, experts recommend using bright light exposure to help reset your body’s clocks. “The best way to fix this is properly timed light exposure, which can accelerate the resynchronization,” says Jamie Zeitzer, PhD , a professor and the codirector of the center for sleep and circadian sciences at Stanford University in California.

According to research , if you’ve traveled west, you’ll want plenty of bright-light exposure (such as natural outdoor light or very bright indoor light) later in the day. You’ll also want to avoid these in the early morning hours (such as earlier than the sun is naturally out). That’s because your body’s internal clocks think it’s later than it really is, and you’re trying to drag it earlier.

If you’ve traveled east, you’ll want to do the opposite: Get plenty of morning bright-light exposure and avoid it later in the day. (Wearing dark sunglasses outdoors, and “blue blockers” indoors, can help you avoid light at the wrong times of day.)

The ideal timing for light exposure or avoidance is tricky, Burgess says. It depends on the size of the time difference and your usual sleep-wake schedule. But the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends an online calculator called Jet Lag Rooster . Put in your travel details and the tool will tell you the ideal times to seek and avoid light.

Finally, Grandner says, “Try not to nap for more than 20 minutes, especially if your nap time corresponds with when you’d go to bed in your original time zone.”

Medication Options

Melatonin supplements can in some cases encourage your clocks to adjust more quickly. But Zeitzer says using light exposure to reset your clocks is “around 10-fold more potent.”

The Jet Lag Rooster calculator has a “use melatonin” option that can be useful. But Grandner offers a general rule of thumb: “Take a small dose, 0.5 to 3 mg, two to four hours before bed.”

Recent research does suggest that many Americans misuse melatonin ; so if you choose to use it, avoid common mistakes like taking too much.

Prescription sleep aids — such as hypnotics like zolpidem (Ambien) — can help you get to sleep at the appropriate time at your destination. But research has also found that these drugs sometimes interfere with jet lag adjustment; and they come with risk of serious side effects and complications, like addiction. Grandner says most people don’t need these drugs to manage jet lag.

How to Prevent Jet Lag

“Pre-adapting for jet travel can help,” Zeitzer says. “This entails shifting your schedule part way to the new time zone before leaving.”

Research in the journal Sleep has shown this can significantly cut down the length of your jet lag.

To do this, you’ll need to adjust your sleep and light-exposure schedules to align more closely with your destination time zone gradually a few days before departing. Again, online calculators like Jet Lag Rooster can suggest the best sleep and light-exposure schedule based on your travel details.

Related Conditions

There’s not much evidence linking jet lag to prolonged sleep disorders. But experts say that, in very rare cases, jet lag can act as a catalyst for more persistent sleep issues.

“I have a patient who went to Europe, and the jet lag sort of interacted with his anxiety, where once he started sleeping poorly, he just couldn’t get back on track,” Grandner says. “Because of his anxiety about sleep, which started with jet lag, he developed insomnia.”

Cleveland Clinic recommends reaching out to your doctor if you experience symptoms that get worse rather than better after more than a week — or if you have persistent symptoms not likely to be related to jet lag, but that could be sign of another illness, like: fever, nausea, or other flu symptoms.

Resources We Trust

• Mayo Clinic:  Jet Lag Disorder
• Cleveland Clinic:  Jet Lag
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Jet Lag
• Harvard Health Publishing:  Jet Lag
• Frontiers in Psychology : Chronic Jet Lag Reduces Motivation and Affects Other Mood-Related Behaviors in Male Mice

Editorial Sources and Fact-Checking

Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy . We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.

• Jet Lag. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention . October 6, 2022. 
• Sack RL. Clinical Practice: Jet Lag. New England Journal of Medicine . February 2010.
• Weingarten JA, Collop NA. Air Travel: Effects of Sleep Deprivation and Jet Lag.  Chest . 2013.
• Burgess H. Using Bright Light and Melatonin to Reduce Jet Lag. Behavioral Treatments for Sleep Disorders . 2011.
• Jet Lag Rooster. American Academy of Sleep Medicine . March 25, 2021.
• Jet Lag Rooster by Sleepopolis. Sleepopolis.com . May 4, 2023.
• Eastman CI, Gazda CJ, Burgess HJ, Crowley SJ, Fogg LF. Advancing Circadian Rhythms Before Eastward Flight: A Strategy to Prevent or Reduce Jet Lag.  Sleep . 2005.
• Jet Lag. Cleveland Clinic . June 13, 2021.

Is jet lag worse when flying east or west?

Feb 23, 2020 • 6 min read

Jet lag can be a major impediment when travelling long distances – but is it worse in different parts of the world, or moving to and from particular time zones?

Jet lag is the bane of longhaul travel: waking up in the middle of the night, needing to be asleep when it’s time to go do things (or go to work), and just feeling altogether exhausted, whether you’re at your destination or back at home.

So, it’s no surprise that one of the questions I’m asked as an aviation journalist and someone who travels regularly is ‘which kind of jet lag is worse: flying east or west?’

The answer can be pretty complicated and depends on several different — and often conflicting — factors, but understanding them and how they work together can help you minimise the effects of the dreaded jet lag. 

Read more:  What are the scientifically proven ways to combat jet lag?

Overall, based on my own experience and talking to a lot of other frequent flyers, it seems like about three quarters of people find eastbound jet lag, when you can’t fall asleep at the normal time and find waking up really hard, worse than westbound jet lag, when you’re falling asleep in the early evening but waking up correspondingly early in the mornings.

However, there’s a minority of folks — that tend, it seems, towards being early birds rather than the night owls among my acquaintance — who find westbound jet lag worse than eastbound. Why? Well, it really depends on a range of factors. Let’s take a look. 

The number of time zones and length of the flight are crucial

The first factor might be obvious: the number of time zones you’ll cross. I always say that the worst is 5-7 time zones eastbound. Any less and my body clock usually adjusts because it thinks I’ve had a late night or early morning. Any more than that and everything’s so upended that my body clock does a full reboot.

The first is how many hours you’ll spend in the air (and how many hours there are on the longest flight if you’re connecting). As a rule, I find anything less than five hours is just fine, unless it’s a red eye: the kind of flight that leaves very late at night and arrives very early in the morning, giving you just a few hours of sleep. 

Read more:  Fight jet lag with this incredible app developed alongside NASA scientists

Between five and nine hours is where it gets a bit gross, because it’s hard to squeeze in enough sleep at a time when your body is ready for it. Anything between about nine and 14 hours is definitely long enough for a proper sleep as well as the relevant meals, while more than fourteen is up into ultra-longhaul territory where I end up so exhausted that my body ends up in full reset mode.

There’s also how much north-south versus east-west your route is going. For example, I often find flights going from, say, Hong Kong to New Zealand is less jet lag-inducing than a similar length of flight from Europe to Japan because more of the flight time is taken up by going north-south and thus you’re crossing fewer time zones. 

Connections, the north-south factor and the overnight factors are also key

Jet lag can also be affected by where and when you plan any connections in your journey.

As a rule, I find that I’m less jet lagged (and all around less exhausted) when I make a connection early in the trip rather than later, to give myself a short flight and then a longer one. I reckon it’s because if I’m tired out before I get on my last flight then I’ll conk out and get deeper — and hopefully better — sleep.

Fortunately, while you can’t control what time zone a country is in, you can often control where and when your connection is, especially with the growth of the large airline alliances, and choose different options in each direction.

Jet lag also depends on whether you’re flying overnight. There are a couple of schools of thought here, and if you’re on holiday you might not want to lose a day to travel and prefer to travel overnight, but myself and a lot of my friends in aviation prefer to take those rare morning flights from the US east coast to Europe, for example, if we don’t have to connect the same day. It’s a short day, but that’s less jet lag-inducing than a short night, I find. 

Read more:  Ask Lonely Planet: 'How can I beat jet lag when I travel frequently for work?'

If you do have to take an overnight flight, make sure you check what time it departs. There are a range of flights from New York to London departing between around 6pm and 11pm, which arrive at between 6am and 11am the next morning, taking about six hours and adding five hours of time difference.

I find that if I’m on a 6pm departure I never sleep: on the ground I tend to hit the hay around 11pm if I’m being good, which is about the time in the flight that the crew are waking everyone up for a delicious breakfast of orange juice and a croissant.

If I’m on the 11pm departure, then it’s straight to Bedfordshire after takeoff and it feels like I’m just having a very early morning the next day. And, top tip: bring a sandwich and eat it in the terminal, or buy something there, so you can go directly to sleep without waiting for your airplane food on departure.

So which are the worst flights for jet lag?

There are a few popular contenders for the world’s worst jet lag routes, and they’re pretty much all red eyes.

One contender is the high-volume set of routes from the close end of the US east coast to the western end of Europe, which really comprises anything in an arc like Washington to London, New York to Paris , Boston to Frankfurt , or even Chicago to Dublin . (Aer Lingus is great in terms of efficiency and often price, but my goodness those short overnights to Dublin are especially brutal on the jet lag, particularly if winter tailwinds speed you on your way.)  

Read more:  How I survived 30 hours of travel (without losing my mind)

Another contender are overnight flights within the US , whether that’s some of the growing number of very late departures travelling across half the country or the diagonally-drawn flights known as 'diagcon', like 'transcon' from 'transcontinental', but from (say) the Pacific Northwest to Florida .

The overnight routes from Perth to Australia ’s east coast, especially Sydney and Brisbane at just about four hours, are also pretty brutal. That’s not enough time for sleep in anyone’s book. 

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The Scientific Secrets to Preventing Jet Lag

T raveling abroad can be exhilarating. But sometimes it’s easy to discount the crippling jet leg that can set in after traversing multiple time zones—leaving you exhausted, disoriented and possibly causing you to miss out on your vacation.

Jet lag is “something that can ruin a vacation or plague athletes and musicians or have a businessman or woman not perform at their peak,” explains Charmane Eastman, a professor in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and the founding director of the Biological Rhythms Research Laboratory at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

The number of passengers flying internationally in 2017 reached an all-time annual high, with 107.7 million people—up 3.5% from the previous high reached in 2016, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation . That means, more people are likely suffering from jet lag .

But whether you’re flying cross country or halfway across the globe, there are ways to protect yourself. Here, experts reveal the science behind that all-too pesky jet lag—and the secrets to outsmarting it.

The science behind jet lag

Jet lag occurs when the brain cells that regulate our circadian rhythms—which serve as our bodies’ master clock telling us when to wake up, eat or sleep—are out of sync with the time zone we are in, says Jamie Zeitzer, an assistant professor at Stanford University’s Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine.

Jet lag sets in when you ask your body “to sleep, eat, and be awake at the wrong times according to your internal circadian body clock, times when your body is not ready to handle these activities,” Eastman says. This results in a conflict between the mind and body. And the discord between what your body thinks it should be doing—like sleeping—and what you want it to be doing—like touring a foreign city—can result in a number of physical ailments.

Jet lag can lead to “difficulty sleeping, indigestion, daytime fatigue, reduced mental and physical performance, and impaired immune function,” says Zeitzer. It tends to be worse when you travel across time zones—and the more time zones you cross, the worse it gets. Jet lag may also be more severe when you’re flying east, than when you’re flying west, according to a 2016 study conducted by researchers at the University of Maryland. That’s because our internal clock doesn’t appear to operate on a 24-hour schedule. Instead, researchers believe it’s around 24.5 hours—meaning it’s easier to extend the length of people’s day by flying west across time zones, than shorten it when they fly east.

While jet lag can feel like a nuisance, the impact on the human body is real and frequent flyers can experience long-term health risks, too—like an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and even cancer, according to a 2009 study co-conducted by Eastman and published in Sleep Medicine Clinics. And it tends to get worse as you get older, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine .

How to overcome jet lag

Jet lag does eventually dissipate as your internal clock resets to the new time zone you’re in, but sometimes it can take your body too long to adjust. Luckily, there are ways to mitigate jet lag —and even prevent it entirely. But it does take some work.

“The best way to alleviate jet lag is to obtain proper light exposure, which will realign your internal circadian clock to your new time zone,” says Zeitzer. “In general, you want to get morning light exposure, and avoid evening light exposure when travelling eastward, and the opposite when travelling westward.”

Another trick, according to Eastman, is to gradually shift your circadian clock to the new time zone a few days before flying . This is done by changing when your body is exposed to light and when it is exposed to darkness “to trick your circadian clock into thinking that day and night have changed,” she says. She suggests changing the time of light and dark gradually by one to two hours each day depending on the direction you are flying in.

If you are flying from Dallas to London, for example, you’ll be facing a six-hour time difference. To get ahead of the jet lag, Eastman suggests gradually shifting your body to London time while you are still in Dallas. That means going to bed an hour earlier each night and waking up an hour earlier each morning for six days before your trip. To help your body transition to the new time zone, she suggests using bright lights, like the special light boxes they sell to treat winter depression (also known as Seasonal Affected Disorder or SAD), to keep you awake and alert, and sleeping in a dark room to help you doze off more easily.

But Eastman admits it can be difficult for people to implement this into their life. “People with full-time jobs with fixed hours or with young children have more difficulty changing their schedules before flying,” she notes.

If drastically shifting your schedule isn’t an option, there are other ways to alleviate the symptoms of jet lag. Zeitzer suggests staying well-hydrated because dehydration can exacerbate symptoms of jet lag. She also advises on skipping alcohol on the flight and before bedtime as it can disrupt sleep . Once on the ground, exercise can help travelers stay awake. Zeitzer says it’s also a good idea to avoid foods that might otherwise cause indigestion, because jet lag can cause stomach upset .

Changing your meals to eat on a local schedule can alleviate some of the symptoms, too, researchers from the University of Surrey found in a 2018 study . For instance, if you are flying from the East Coast of the U.S. to Portugal, try and eat closer to the time you would in Portugal so your body can begin to shift the circadian rhythm that indicates when it thinks it needs to eat, the study says.

Melatonin—a naturally occurring hormone that works with circadian rhythms—can also help combat jet lag, but in smaller doses and when taken earlier than most people consume the over-the-counter supplement, according to Eastman. In her academic paper, “ How To Travel the World Without Jet Lag,” Eastman suggests taking one to three milligrams of melatonin two hours before your desired bedtime, rather than in large doses right as you crawl into bed. Because melatonin isn’t technically a sleep aid, but rather, a hormone that scientists think signals darkness, Eastman says taking it earlier and in smaller doses will be more effective. And of course, as with any medication or supplement, she says, consult your doctor before taking it.

And while jet lag is an exhausting byproduct of flying around the world , experts says they are living proof that it is possible to outsmart it. “What kind of an expert on jet lag would I be if I arrived at a scientific meeting with jet lag?,” Eastman says.

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How to prevent jet lag

Written by Tuck Staff

Ah, jet lag: that general sense of exhaustion that accompanies air travel.

Travel east and you find yourself staying up late, unable to sleep, and sluggish in the morning. Travel westward and you experience the reverse, bounding out of bed earlier than you want and exhausted after dinner.

There’s no way around it. Travel is tough on sleep.

Why do we have jet lag?

Jet lag is a result of your body’s circadian rhythms being out of sync with the new biological schedule of your destination.

Although it most commonly occurs with the distances travelled by plane (putting the jet in jet lag), it can occur whenever you travel somewhere where the external environmental cues differ from the ones from whence you came. For instance, if you stay in the same time zone but travel way north or south during the extremes of summer or winter, the sun will rise and set much later or sooner than you’re used to and induce jet lag.

While jet lag affects, or doesn’t affect, everyone differently, there are a few general rules of thumb. Traveling east is harder than traveling west, and morning larks and adults over age 50 typically experience symptoms more intensely.

Tips for avoiding jet lag

Fortunately, you can make things easier on yourself by taking a few precautions to minimize symptoms of jet lag.

Follow these tips before, during, and after your trip to avoid jet lag.

Before you travel

1. schedule smart..

That’s right – before you even book your flight, there’s much you can do to avoid jet lag.

• Travel time: If you’re traveling far enough that the trip will take several hours, opt for a departure time that suits your sleep schedule. If you’re able to sleep while you fly, go for a red-eye so you can sleep overnight and make the transition as seamless as possible. If you’re not able to sleep on a plane, choose a flight that arrives early enough for you to get to your final destination, into bed, and sleep to get a full night’s rest.
• Seat selection: Choose a window seat so you can lean against it and not be woken up by other passengers who need to use the restroom. Consider upgrading your seat for more legroom so you can stretch out and recline.
• Trip purpose: If you’re traveling for an important event, work or personal, try to arrive at leat a day ahead of time if you’re going to be traveling 2 or more time zones. This will give you extra time to adjust your mind and body to local time.

2. Adjust your sleep schedule ahead of time.

In the days before your trip, gradually adjust your schedule to the timezone of your destination.

• Experts recommend adjusting your sleep by 1 hour each day per time zone traveled. If it’s helpful, you may take melatonin at night to help you fall asleep faster. Jet lag calculators like this one can help you plan your sleep schedule before and after your flight.

• Besides sleep, we also tend to eat according to schedule, so adjust that as well according to the time zone of your destination (e.g. moving dinner up earlier or later).
• You could even adjust your clocks and strategically use the lights in your house to mimic the conditions of where you’re traveling.
• The night before your trip, go to bed even earlier, just to ensure you’re as well-rested and as less stressed as possible while dealing with the hassles of travel.

3. Use common sense.

Besides adjusting your schedule, do what you can to act healthy in the days before your trip.

• If possible, don’t travel when you’re sick, hungover, or already tired and stressed out.
• Exercise and eat well to avoid putting yourself in one of those conditions, and limit your caffeine and alcohol.
• Pack ahead of time to minimize stress.

During your trip

1. make yourself comfortable..

The more comfortable you are on the plane, the easier it will be to sleep or rest.

• Wear comfortable, loose clothing with layers so you can adjust as needed depending on the conditions of the plane.
• Bring along a sleep mask or ear plugs so you can block out distractions from the plane and other passengers.
• Pack a neck pillow or blanket to make sleep easier if that’s in your travel plan.
• Download a white noise app and listen on your headphones.
• Take a few strolls up and down the aisle, periodically point and flex your feet and toes, and stretch out your arms and legs if possible.

2. Watch what you eat (and drink).

Be thoughtful about what you put in your body while you fly, as it can impact your ability to sleep and stay healthy during your trip.

• Drink 8 ounces of water for every hour you’re flying. The low humidity inside an airplane dries everyone out. Bring along plenty of water so you can stay hydrated and stave off sickness.
• Don’t overdo it on the alcohol and caffeine. Neither of these is a friend to sleep, and air travel affects how your body reacts to these substances. Limit alcohol to one drink at the most, or avoid it altogether.
• Bring along a few healthy snack packs to munch on if you get hungry.
• Avoid sleeping pills. With all the differences in humidity, environment, they may make you groggier than expected.

3. Sleep strategically.

Unless you’re traveling overnight, you should avoid sleeping for longer than 30 minutes.

• Power naps are ideal for daytime flights because they’re long enough to refresh you and short enough to keep you from falling into deep sleep and waking up even groggier than before.
• Recline and stretch out your legs if you sleep upright, or lean forward onto the tray table.
• Keep your seatbelt buckled over your blanket and clothes so flight attendants don’t wake you up.
• Change the clock on your watch, phone, and other electronics.

Once you arrive

1. stick to your new sleep schedule..

Once you arrive at your destination, stay awake or go to sleep according to local time.

• If you arrived at night, go to sleep once you reach your destination.
• If you took a redeye or arrive earlier in the day, avoid napping altogether or limit it to under 2 hours.
• If you travelled westward, you may take melatonin a few hours before bedtime. One study found that 0.5 mg dose taken on the first day can be enough to offset symptoms of jet lag.

2. Meet the sunshine.

Sunlight helps reset your circadian clock , so your brain can relearn when it’s night and when it’s day.

• If you arrived in the morning, spend an hour outside walking. The sunshine and exercise will give you an energy boost.
• If you travelled westward, spend some time in the late afternoon outside.

3. Sync your social clock.

Being social with people at normal local time hours will help your brain recognize and adapt to local time.

• Eat when other people eat (but still keep it easy on the caffeine and alcohol for the first day or a few depending on how far you traveled).
• Know that it will take time to recover. Traveling east can take 1 full day per time zone traveled, while traveling west can take as many days as are equal to half the number of time zones traveled.

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Jet lag prevention

Jet lag is a sleep disorder caused by traveling across different time zones. Jet lag occurs when your body's biological clock is not set with the time zone you are in.

Your body follows a 24-hour internal clock called a circadian rhythm. It tells your body when to go to sleep and when to wake up. Cues from your environment, such as when the sun rises and sets, help set this internal clock.

When you pass through different time zones, it can take your body a few days to adjust to the different time.

How Does Jet Lag Feel?

You may feel like it is time to go to bed several hours before bedtime. The more time zones you pass through, the worse your jet lag can be. Also, traveling east can be harder to adjust to because you lose time.

Symptoms of jet lag include:

• Trouble falling asleep or waking up
• Tiredness during the day
• General feeling of not being well
• Irritability
• Stomach upset
• Sore muscles

Tips for Prevention

Before your trip:

• Get plenty of rest, eat healthy foods, and get some exercise.
• Consider going to bed earlier for a couple of nights before leaving if you are traveling east. Go to bed later for a couple of nights if you are traveling west. This will help reset your internal clock before you travel.

While in flight:

• Do not sleep unless it matches the bedtime of your destination. While awake, get up and walk around a few times.
• During stopovers, make yourself comfortable and get some rest.
• Drink plenty of water, but avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine.

Melatonin, a hormone supplement, may help decrease jet lag. If you will be in flight during the bedtime of your destination, take some melatonin (3 to 5 milligrams) during that time and try to sleep. Then try taking melatonin several hours before bedtime for several days once you arrive.

When you arrive:

• For short trips, try to eat and sleep at your usual times, if possible, while at your destination.
• For longer trips, before you leave, try to adapt to the time schedule of your destination. Set your watch to the new time as you begin the trip.
• It takes a day to adjust to one to two time zones. So if you travel over three time zones, it will take about two days for your body to adapt.
• Stick with your regular exercise routine while you're away. Avoid exercising late in the evening, because it can keep you awake.
• If you are traveling for an important event or meeting, try to get to your destination early. This can help your body adjust ahead of time so you are at your best while at the event.
• Try not to make any important decisions the first day.
• Once you arrive, spend time in the sun. This can help reset your internal clock.

Alternative Names

Circadian rhythm sleep disturbances; Jet lag disorder

Drake CL, Wright KP, Cheng P. Shift work, shift-work disorder, jet lag, and jet lag disorder. In: Kryger M, Roth T, Goldstein CA, Dement WC, eds. Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine . 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 81.

Higgins T. Jet lag. In: Higgins T, ed. Medicine for the Outdoors . 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024: 440-441.

Markwell P, McLellan SLF. Jet lag. In: Keystone JS, Kozarsky PE, Connor BA, Nothdurft HD, Mendelson M, Leder K, eds. Travel Medicine . 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 45.

Review Date 7/8/2023

Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

Related MedlinePlus Health Topics

• Sleep Disorders
• Traveler's Health

Travelicious

7 Best Ways to Avoid Jet Lag, According to Experts

Posted: May 31, 2024 | Last updated: May 31, 2024

Traveling is a meaningful way to meet new people, spark creativity, and enhance personal growth while exploring new pockets of the world. It's exciting and inspiring, but it can also be exhausting. Jet lag is real and kicks in when traveling across multiple time zones. It can disrupt your sleep pattern, trigger headaches and nausea, and cause you to lose precious vacation time.

A recent study from YOTEL revealed that 42% of travelers find coping with jet lag to be a real struggle. More than half (53%) admit that the fear of missing out often leads them to ignore their body's fatigue. In addition, 23% confessed they would reconsider their travel plans if it meant that they could avoid jet lag.

But, there's no need for you to rearrange your travel plans. Simply pack your bags and follow these expert tips to avoid jet lag before it even starts.

RELATED:  The Ultimate Solo Travel Guide: 16 Secrets From Experts .

1. Adjust Your Sleep Schedule Before Traveling

If you're flying from the East Coast to Europe, Dr. Eugene Delaune, MD , an advisor with Allianz Partners , suggests adjusting your sleep schedule about a week before your trip to align with the sleep schedule you'll follow at your destination.

On your travel day, Dr. Delaune recommends sleeping on the plane if it's an overnight flight and avoiding napping once you arrive. "It helps to take a shower, change clothes, and spend time in the light outside to convince the body that it's starting a new day," he says. "Even if you're tired the first night, a sleep aid might be helpful to avoid waking up."

On the other hand, if you're traveling from the West Coast to Europe, Dr. Delaune recommends a different strategy: "In addition to a gradual shift in sleep schedule in the days before travel (staying in bed later in the morning and staying up later at night), it is best to avoid sleep during the flight."

Once you're at your destination, he recommends taking a sleep aid on the first night to get a "full night of sleep and adjust to the new time zone more quickly."

2. Stay Hydrated

Drinking water is always healthy, but it's especially important while traveling.

"Airplane cabins have low humidity levels, as low as 5-20%," says Bob Bacheler, DNP, CFRN, CCRN , managing director of Flying Angels, Inc . "This is lower than the Sahara Desert, which can lead to dehydration. Dehydration can exacerbate symptoms of jet lag, such as fatigue and headaches."

RELATED:  Major Airports Suddenly Banning Plastic Water Bottles .

3. Use a Travel App to Help You Plan

A practical tool to use that helps combat jet lag is the Timeshifter App . It's an easy way to create a schedule that's based on your flights, home timezone, and destination timezone.

"It tells me when to sleep, when to have caffeine, and when to seek out or avoid bright lights," says Amber Haggerty, a travel blogger with Amber Everywhere . "I've found that it makes a noticeable difference in the jet lag I experience when I land, especially if I follow it carefully."

4. Try Red Light Therapy

People use red light therapy to fight wrinkles and smooth skin, but it can also help with jet lag, according to travel blogger Kathryn Anderson .

"One of the newest ways to avoid jet lag is to biohack your body with red light therapy," she explains. "By using a red light therapy sleep device, you can reset your circadian rhythm and avoid the unpleasant effects of jet lag."

RELATED:  20 Best Travel Pants to Wear That Make Any Trip More Comfortable .

5. Don't Sleep on the Plane

Despite tip number one, some avid travelers swear by not sleeping on a flight to battle jet lag, such as Peter Shankman , entrepreneur, author, and keynote speaker, who racks up 350k miles a year.

"I bring tons of extra work on the plane, watch movies, etc. I also go to the galley and do 20 squats every 90 minutes to keep the blood flowing," he says.

In some cases, by not sleeping on the plane, you can stay up until bedtime in your usual time zone.

"Go to the gym quickly before bed, have a light dinner, then sleep at your normal time," Shankman suggests. "You'll wake up in the morning with no jet lag. Do the same thing on the way home."

6. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol

It's tempting to throw back some drinks on long flights, but consuming caffeine or alcohol can enhance the effects of jet lag, dehydrate your body, and disrupt your sleep.

"Stick to water and herbal teas, which will help keep you hydrated and potentially make it easier to adjust to a new time zone," Peter Hamdy , says managing director at Auckland & Beyond Tours . The vacation drinks can wait until you've touched down and your adventure has begun.

7. Freshen Up Once You Land

When you arrive at your destination, don't nap or lounge around. You'll fall into a terrible sleeping pattern that is hard to break, our experts say.

RELATED:For more up-to-date information, sign up for our daily newsletter.

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Signs and symptoms of jet lag, how to reduce effects

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Southwest Airlines offers a different experience: What first-time flyers should know

• Southwest Airlines now lists its fares on Google Flights after long shying away.
• The airline doesn't assign passengers seats.
• Southwest lets all passengers check up to two bags for free.

Southwest is not a regular airline; it’s a cool airline, and flying on it is a slightly different experience than the other major U.S. carriers. With no assigned seats in its all-economy cabins and fewer fees than most other airlines, Southwest has its super fans, but its shtick can catch some travelers off-guard if they’re not familiar with it.

While the airline’s CEO suggested that changes may be coming to its operations in the near future, its trademark service remains in place for now.

The airline, a long-time holdout among the major U.S. airlines, recently started posting airfares on Google Flights .

So, if you’re traveling on Southwest Airlines for the first time, here are four things you need to know .

1. No assigned seating

Probably the biggest difference between Southwest and other airlines is that it doesn’t assign passengers seats.

Instead, every passenger receives a boarding position at check-in. Southwest flights are boarded by lettered groups (A, B, and C), and there are up to 60 positions in each group. Most Southwest gates have columns to help people line up in order prior to boarding.

Once on the plane, passengers can sit in any open seat.

Southwest’s boarding procedure means the sooner you board, the more likely you are to get your choice of seat, which is why elite members of its Rapid Rewards frequent flyer program and holders of some of its co-branded credit cards get priority boarding as a perk. Otherwise, your boarding position is assigned based on when you check in.

Under that system, it’s best to check in as soon as possible. Southwest recommends downloading its app on your phone and checking in as soon as the option becomes available, 24 hours before departure, to get the best possible boarding position.

The airline also sells EarlyBird Check-In, which allows you to get your boarding pass and position up to 36 hours before your flight, and Upgraded Boarding, which guarantees an A1-A15 position when available.

Southwest recently announced it will be raising the maximum price for EarlyBird Check-In and Upgraded Boarding. 

2. Few fees

Southwest lets all passengers check up to two bags for free, and doesn’t charge change or cancellation fees if your travel plans change. You’ll have to pay the difference in the fare if your new ticket is more expensive. All flights are fully refundable up to 24 hours after purchase. Beyond that window, only Business Select fares are refundable to your payment method. Wanna Get Away and Wanna Get Away Plus fares are redeemable for future flight credit if you cancel your trip more than 24 hours after purchasing the ticket.

Cruising Altitude: Want a free upgrade to first class? The only hack is your wallet.

3. Inflight entertainment

Southwest doesn’t have seatback screens, but many of its planes have Wi-Fi that lets passengers stream from its entertainment portal. Options include movies and TV shows, as well as live TV. The Wi-Fi also lets passengers use iMessage and Whatsapp, so long as the apps are downloaded before the flight.

4. Snacks and drinks

Southwest provides water and Coca-Cola soft drinks for free, as well as a selection of snacks. The airline also offers beer, wine, spirits and pre-mixed cocktails for purchase.

Check out the full guide to see current onboard selections. 

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected].

The Key Points at the top of this article were created with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and reviewed by a journalist before publication. No other parts of the article were generated using AI. Learn more .