You’ve just landed after a long flight, ready to explore your destination. But instead of feeling excited and energized, you’re groggy, restless at night, and struggling to concentrate. Welcome to jet lag.
The good news: you’re not powerless against it. With the right strategies, you can help your body adapt to a new time zone more quickly. In this post, we’ll look at how light, nutrition, movement, and sleep routines can work in your favor.
Our internal clock is heavily influenced by light. Sunlight is the strongest natural signal for your body to understand when it’s day and night.
Traveling east (e.g., Europe to Asia):
– Get as much morning sunlight as possible
– Wear sunglasses in the late afternoon to encourage an earlier sense of evening
Traveling west (e.g., Europe to the U.S.):
– Expose yourself to bright light in the evening to stay awake longer
– Avoid early morning sunlight to help delay waking up
If natural light isn’t available, a daylight lamp can be a helpful alternative.
What and when you eat also affects your internal rhythm. The goal is to align your eating schedule with the local time as soon as possible.
– Eat at local meal times, even if you’re not hungry
– Avoid heavy meals shortly before bedtime
– Carbohydrates in the evening may help you fall asleep
– Avoid caffeine at least six hours before your planned bedtime
Light, protein-rich snacks in the morning can help promote wakefulness.
Physical activity helps regulate your internal clock and stimulates circulation. Timing matters here as well.
– A morning walk is ideal when flying east
– Light exercise in the late afternoon is helpful when flying west
– Avoid intense workouts right before bed
Even 20 minutes of moderate movement outdoors can make a big difference in adapting.
Sleep is the core issue of jet lag – and also the solution.
Before your trip:
– Gradually shift your bedtime in the direction of your destination’s time zone
– Try to get plenty of sleep before traveling – don’t start your trip exhausted
During the flight:
– Only sleep if it aligns with nighttime at your destination
– Use a sleep mask, earplugs, and a neck pillow to improve rest
Once you arrive:
– Try to stay awake during the day
– If needed, take a short nap (20 minutes max)
– Stick to a consistent bedtime in the new time zone, even if you're not yet sleepy
Melatonin supplements (used briefly and only after medical consultation) can help support the transition if needed.