Jet lag can make you feel like you’ve been awake for a day and a half, even when you slept on the plane. You land tired, foggy, and a little irritable, and the first day of a good trip disappears. It tends to hit harder flying east than west, because gaining hours forces your internal clock to catch up in a hurry. The good news is that a bit of planning takes most of the sting out of it. Here are the three things we actually do.
1. Shift your clock before you leave
The trick is to start becoming a traveller before you travel. Say you’re flying from Vancouver to Sao Miguel in the Azores. You’ll land seven hours ahead, so when it’s 9 a.m. Friday at home, it’s already 2 p.m. Saturday there. If you arrive cold, your body has no idea what time it is. So in the few days before an eastbound flight:
- Move your bedtime earlier by 30 to 60 minutes a night.
- Bank some extra sleep. If you normally get six hours, aim for eight in the week before you go.
- Fit in some exercise. It helps you sleep more deeply, which makes the shift easier.
2. Use melatonin and water wisely
Melatonin has decent evidence behind it for flights crossing five or more time zones, taken close to your destination’s bedtime, roughly 10 p.m. to midnight. Start low and keep it simple:
| Who | Guidance |
| Adults | 1 to 5 mg a couple of hours before bed. Start with the lowest dose; higher doses (10 mg or more) can bring side effects. Don’t mix with alcohol or caffeine. |
| Pregnant or breastfeeding | Talk to your doctor before using it. |
| Children | Ask a paediatrician first. |
This is general information, not medical advice. If you’re on other medication or unsure, check with your doctor before adding melatonin. And drink water throughout, because dehydration from dry cabin air mimics jet lag almost exactly: fatigue, headache, that heavy sleepy feeling. Hydrate before, during, and after the flight.
3. Chase the morning light
There’s a myth that daylight makes jet lag worse. The opposite is true. Natural light, especially in the morning, is the strongest signal your body clock has for resetting. Get outside soon after you arrive, let the sun tell your body what time it is, and you’ll feel awake and human far sooner than if you hide indoors.
Rest better in the air
Landing rested is half the battle, and good neck support is what gets us there. Two we keep in our Travel Store:
Plan ahead and keep the good days
You don’t have to hand the first two days of a trip over to jet lag, or be the person whose exhaustion drags everyone else down. A little preparation is all it takes. For more of what we’ve learned on the road, browse our travel tips, and the gear we’d actually pack is in the Travel Store.
