How to Beat Jet Lag: Smart Strategies for Restful Travel

If you’ve ever flown across time zones and felt foggy, wired in the evening, or wide awake at 3 a.m., you know jet lag is more than just tiredness, it's your body clock stuck in the wrong time zone. The key isn’t just pushing through, it’s working with your biology to reset your rhythm.

In this article, we’ll break down practical, science-backed strategies to reduce jet lag, from shifting your schedule before you fly to using light, food, and movement to sync with your new time zone faster.

What is Jet Lag?

Jet lag is temporary sleep disruption that happens when your internal body clock (also known as your circadian rhythm) falls out of sync with a new time zone. It’s most common after long-haul flights that cross three or more time zones, especially when you’re flying east.

Your body still thinks it’s in your original time zone, so it tells you to sleep, eat, and wake at the wrong times. That’s why you might feel exhausted during the day, alert at night, and generally out of sorts for a few days after landing.

Jet lag isn’t just about sleep, it affects your mood, digestion, energy, and ability to focus. But by understanding how your circadian rhythm works and learning how to influence it, you can reduce jet lag symptoms, recover faster, and feel more in control of your sleep, even thousands of miles from home.

How Long Does Jet Lag Last?

Jet lag typically lasts 1 day per time zone crossed, but that’s just a rough guideline. Most people adjust faster when traveling west and slower when going east, since advancing your body clock is harder than delaying it. So if you fly from Los Angeles to London (an 8-hour difference), it might take you up to a week to fully adjust, especially if you don’t actively manage your rhythm.

Individual factors also play a role. Age, sleep habits, stress levels, and how well you manage light, meals, and movement all affect how quickly you bounce back. The more consistent and intentional you are with your schedule after landing, the faster your body clock will catch up.

Why Eastward Travel Hits Harder

Eastward travel usually causes more intense jet lag because it requires your body to fall asleep and wake up earlier than it naturally wants to, a shift known as a phase advance. This goes against your internal clock, which naturally runs a bit longer than 24 hours and prefers delays over advances. In other words, it’s easier for most people to stay up later (as with westward travel) than to force themselves to sleep earlier.

For example, flying from New York to Paris might mean trying to fall asleep at what feels like 6 p.m., something your brain strongly resists. Westward travel tends to be more forgiving because it aligns better with your natural rhythm: staying up late and sleeping in. Understanding this difference can help you better prepare and adjust your strategy, especially when flying east, where the circadian disruption is more challenging and often takes longer to recover from.

Simple Techniques to Outsmart Jet Lag and Sleep Better When Travelling

Here’s the good news: jet lag is manageable. With the right strategies, you can shorten the adjustment period. The key is to use science-backed techniques that help your body sync with the new time zone as quickly and naturally as possible.

1. Start Before You Fly: Shift Your Schedule

One of the most effective jet lag hacks is to start adjusting your internal clock 2–3 days before your flight (if you're going on a longer trip that lasts roughly 4 days or more). This pre-trip shift can reduce the shock of changing time zones, especially on longer flights.

• Flying east? Start waking up earlier by 30–60 minutes per day and then going to bed gradually earlier as well.

• Flying west? Do the opposite, stay up later and sleep in a little longer if you can.

Even a partial shift can make a big difference by helping your circadian rhythm ease into the new schedule.

2. Control Your Light Exposure

Light is your body’s primary time cue. Knowing when to seek light and when to avoid it helps recalibrate your sleep-wake cycle.

• Traveling east? Expose yourself to morning light at your destination to help you fall asleep earlier.

• Traveling west? Get late afternoon or evening light to help you stay up later.

If you land and it’s evening, avoid bright light, including blue light from screens. Consider wearing sunglasses or using blue-light blocking glasses on the plane to help simulate night time.

Apps like Timeshifter or even your phone’s clock app can help you map out optimal light timing.

3. Time Your Meals Strategically

Your body clock doesn’t just respond to light, it also syncs to your eating schedule. You can use this to your advantage by aligning meals with your destination’s time zone.

• Begin the transition before or during the flight.

• Avoid caffeine or alcohol close to your new bedtime.

• Consider fasting during the flight and then breaking the fast with breakfast at your destination to “reset” your digestion.

This helps your gut, metabolism, and hormones align with your new rhythm and may even reduce jet lag symptoms like bloating and fatigue.

4. Move at the Right Time

Exercise acts as a reset button for your body clock, if you time it right.

• Stretch or walk before boarding to reduce in-flight stiffness.

• Once you land, get moving as soon as possible, especially if it’s daytime.

• Use your workouts to reinforce your schedule: morning exercise helps shift your body clock earlier, evening workouts help shift it later.

Even light movement like yoga or a brisk 15-minute walk outdoors can help regulate your rhythm and increase alertness.

5. Tactics for Early Flights

Early departures can wreck your sleep before you even take off. Here's how to stay ahead of it:

• Go to bed early the night before, even if you’re not tired, dim the lights and wind down early.

• Consider staying at the airport the night before: If you have a very early flight, this might allow a few extra hours of sleep.

• Nap intentionally: If you're wiped out after landing, take a short nap (20–30 minutes max) before 3 PM local time.

Ensure you get plenty of rest before your trip. Starting out sleep deprived makes jet lag worse!

6. Sleep Mindset: Don’t Obsess

Sometimes the biggest barrier to sleeping well while traveling is your own mind. The more pressure you put on yourself to sleep, the harder it gets. Here's how to stay grounded:

• Accept that your sleep may be a bit off for the first night or two.

• Focus on rest over perfection, even if you’re not asleep, lying in the dark calmly still helps recovery.

• Use breathing exercises, sleep meditations, or progressive muscle relaxation to help relax the nervous system.

Instead of stressing about what time it is “back home,” embrace the now. Your body will adapt faster if you focus only on the time at your current destination.

7. Lock In Your New Rhythm

Once you arrive, consistency is key. Help your body settle into the new time zone by sticking to a steady routine:

• Wake up and go to bed at the same time each day.

• Get sunlight exposure every morning.

• Eat regular meals aligned with the local time.

• Avoid bright light and screens 1–2 hours before bed.

Even if you feel off, stick with it. Your body clock is flexible, it just needs consistent signals.

8. Stay Hydrated & Skip The Alcohol

Drink plenty of water before, during, and after your flight. Dry cabin air dehydrates you quickly, which can make jet lag symptoms, like fatigue and brain fog, even worse.

Avoid alcohol and caffeine, especially on long flights, since they disrupt sleep and add to dehydration. Stick with water where you can.

9. Time Your In-flight Sleep Wisely

Try to sleep on the plane if it’s night time at your destination, this helps kick-start your adjustment early. Use earplugs, noise-cancelling headphones, and an eye mask to block out distractions.

On the flip side, if it’s daytime where you’re going, stay awake if you can or take a short midway nap if it's a very long slight. Sleeping at the wrong time during your flight can delay your body clock even further.

Should You Take Melatonin for Jet Lag?

Melatonin can be an effective tool for easing jet lag, but only if used properly. It’s a hormone your body naturally produces in the evening to help signal that it’s time to sleep. Taking melatonin as a supplement can help shift your internal clock to match your destination, especially when flying eastward, which requires falling asleep earlier than usual.

For eastward travel, you might consider a low dose (0.3–1 mg) 2–3 hours before your new bedtime for a few days after arrival. This can help your body wind down earlier and adjust more quickly. For westward flights, melatonin is usually not necessary, but may help if you're struggling to fall asleep in the new time zone.

Melatonin is available over the counter in many countries, including the U.S. and Canada. However, it's not available without a prescription in the UK and some parts of Europe, where you’ll need to consult a doctor to obtain it.

If you’re considering using melatonin and have any underlying health conditions or are taking other medications, it’s important to speak with a doctor first. Melatonin can interact with certain drugs or medical conditions, and it’s not recommended for everyone. Used thoughtfully, it can be a useful part of your jet lag strategy—but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution.

Final Thoughts

Jet lag doesn’t have to derail your sleep, or your trip. With the right strategy, you can work with your body’s natural rhythms to minimise the impact.

By planning ahead, using light and movement at the right times, staying consistent with meals and sleep, and if appropriate, using tools like melatonin, you can help your body clock adjust faster and recover smoother. Eastward travel may take more effort, but planning ahead makes all the difference.

If jet lag or travel-related sleep issues are something you struggle with regularly, you're not alone and you don’t have to figure it out solo. I offer one-on-one support to help you plan ahead for upcoming trips or reset your sleep once you get back to feel your best again. Book a consultation here.

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I'm Amy, a Holistic Sleep Coach and Certified Sleep Consultant Practitioner for adults & teens. I help people improve their sleep to feel and perform at their best, using The Good Sleep Method.

If you are looking for 1-1 tailored support to get a better night's sleep and tackle sleep anxiety for good, book a call with me to get started.

You can read more about me here.

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