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Travel Smart: How to Deal with Jet Lag

Medically reviewed and edited by Kimberly Burrus, NP

There’s nothing worse than arriving at a new destination and feeling disoriented or too tired to enjoy your new surroundings. 

Jet lag — a common occurrence after long flights across time zones — can become frustrating when you’re trying to make the most of your travel plans.

Symptoms like sleeplessness, mood swings, and headaches can interfere with your ability to function normally once you reach your destination.

While it may not be possible to prevent jet lag completely, there are some things you can do to recover more quickly.

In this article, we’ll discuss what causes jet lag, its symptoms, and some helpful tips to ensure you get the most out of your travel.

What Causes Jet Lag?

Jet lag is usually caused by a misalignment between your body’s internal clock — known as the circadian rhythm — and the new time zone you’re traveling to. 

Here are the main factors that contribute to jet lag:

Crossing multiple time zones

Traveling rapidly across time zones disrupts your circadian rhythm, which means your internal clock is mismatched to the local time when you arrive.

Light exposure

Natural light is a key factor in regulating your internal clock. Changes in light exposure during and after your flight can confuse your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle.

Sleep disturbances

Uncomfortable seating, noise, and time zone changes during your flight can disrupt your sleep patterns, making it difficult for your body to adjust after you’ve landed.

Changes in routine

Different meal times and daily activities can affect your circadian rhythm.

Dehydration

Air travel sometimes leads to dehydration, which can make jet lag worse.

Cabin pressure and air quality

The pressurized cabin and lower oxygen levels may contribute to feelings of fatigue and discomfort. 

Age

People over the age of 60 can experience changes to their circadian rhythms that make jet lag worse.

Sleep quality and stress before travel

If you have been sleeping badly before you travel, you are more likely to experience jet lag.

Traveling can be quite stressful, which may worsen the sleep disruptions associated with jet lag. 

What are the Symptoms of Jet Lag?

Now that you understand more about what causes jet lag, let’s look at the most common symptoms of this condition: 

• Sleep disruption: You may experience difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, or you may wake up earlier or later than usual.

• Fatigue: You may feel persistently tired and have a lack of energy.

• Difficulty concentrating: You may struggle to focus or have trouble with your memory or cognitive functioning.

• Mood changes: Jet lag can cause changes in your mood, including irritability, mood swings, anxiety, and even feelings of sadness.

• Digestive issues: You may experience stomach problems such as indigestion, constipation, or diarrhea.

• Headaches: Some people with jet lag may experience mild to severe headaches or migraines.

• Dizziness: You may feel unsteady or lightheaded.

• Discomfort: People with jet lag may feel generally unwell and have a sense of malaise or discomfort.

• Decreased physical performance: You could have reduced stamina and physical performance. People may also feel weak or uncoordinated.

How to Reduce Jet Lag Symptoms

When you’re traveling across time zones, it may not be possible to avoid jet lag completely. However, there are some things you can do to minimize jet lag and recover faster: 

Get some exercise

Engaging in physical activity while you’re feeling weak and tired may sound like the last thing you want to do. But this can help your body deal with jet lag.

Exercise can boost your overall energy levels, helping to counteract the fatigue associated with jet lag.

Physical activity can also help regulate your sleeping patterns, promoting deeper and more restful sleep. 

As mentioned earlier, jet lag can cause mood changes, including anxiety. Exercise can enhance your mood by triggering the release of endorphins, which are natural mood elevators produced by the body.

When done outdoors during the day, exercise can help synchronize your internal clock with the local time. 

You don’t need a full workout at the gym to reap the benefits of physical activity for jet lag. Simply walking around your new location or doing some light stretching can help.

Manage your sleep

You may be tempted to take a nap when you arrive at your destination if you’re feeling jet-lagged. 

However, if you do this during the day, it can be difficult to fall asleep later on. If you can, avoid going to bed before it’s nighttime at your destination.

If you’re on a nighttime flight in your new time zone, try to get some sleep during the journey. It may help to have noise-canceling headphones, an eye mask, or earplugs available with you on your flight to make it easier to sleep.

Stay hydrated

Whether you’re avoiding bathroom breaks or simply aren’t in the mood to drink, long-distance travel may lead to dehydration. However, dehydration can worsen jet lag and cause symptoms like fatigue and weakness.

Be sure to take a large pre-filled water bottle with you on your flight or request water regularly during travel.

When you land at your new destination, maintain your hydration levels by drinking water regularly to replenish any fluid you may have lost in-flight.

Try light exposure

If you’re having trouble waking up in the mornings due to jet lag, try to get outside and into the sunlight as early as possible. 

Light exposure helps to reset your internal clock, and your body recognizes the new time zone and adjusts accordingly.

Should you be traveling west, you may want to get more light at night if you need to stay up later, as your body will recognize this light as daytime. 

If you’re traveling east, try to get morning light to wake up and function earlier so your body knows it’s daytime.

You can also get special lamps that emit bright light that may help decrease jet lag. These are often used by people with sleep disorders. 

Consume caffeine 

If you’re struggling with energy and alertness during the day, you may want to consider consuming caffeine. Coffee, soda, tea, and chocolates that contain caffeine are good options to try.

However, ensure you don’t consume caffeine too close to bedtime, as this will make it difficult to get quality sleep. You don’t want to lie awake when you’re already struggling with jet lag.

Optimize your sleep environment

You can ensure you get restful sleep so that you can enjoy your activities during the day by optimizing the environment you’re sleeping in.

• Adjust the thermostat: Your room should be cool and comfortable to get the best sleep.

• Remove noise: Ensure that none of your electronic devices will beep or ring while you’re asleep.

• Sleep along to white noise: Bring along a white noise machine or listen to some soothing sounds on YouTube to help drown out the surrounding noise.

• Ensure darkness: If possible, make sure there are no sources of light in the room while you sleep, such as pilot lights from TVs.

• Limit blue light exposure before bed: Avoid spending too much time on your phone, tablet, or laptop before going to sleep. The blue light emitted from these devices can disrupt your circadian rhythm as your body mistakes this for daylight.  

Take melatonin

Melatonin is a hormone made by the body that triggers sleepiness and keeps you asleep throughout the night. It’s also available in the form of a supplement, which you may want to take while you’re traveling.

You can take a melatonin supplement before you go to bed or during the night if you wake up and you’re unable to fall back asleep.

It’s worth noting that melatonin isn’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as it’s a supplement. You should practice caution when using it for the first time and speak to your healthcare provider beforehand if you have any questions or concerns. 

Use sleep medicine

If you can’t sleep at all when reaching a new destination, you could try using a sleep aid. This can be especially useful if you travel frequently and find that you can’t adjust quickly enough after a long flight.

Sleep aids will help you get more rest during the night while you adjust to your new time zone. They’ll also help you stay asleep throughout the night, preventing the frequent awakenings associated with disrupted sleep.

You can get an over-the-counter (OTC) sleep aid at a pharmacy or speak to a healthcare provider about prescription sleep medication.

Consider some apps

In today’s digital age, there are several apps designed to help travelers manage and reduce the symptoms of jet lag. Here are a few recommendations:

• Timeshifter. Offers personalized jet lag plans, guiding you on light exposure, naps, caffeine, and melatonin use.

• Jet Lag Rooster. Generates custom plans for adjusting to new time zones, including suggestions for light exposure and sleep schedule adjustments.

• Uplift. Uses acupressure techniques to reduce fatigue and sleeplessness.

• Sleep Cycle. A smart alarm clock that tracks your sleep patterns and wakes you during your lightest sleep phase to reduce grogginess.

• F.lux Adjusts your screen's color temperature according to the time of day to reduce blue light exposure and improve sleep.

• Calm. A meditation and sleep app offering sleep stories, guided meditations, and soothing sounds to help you relax and sleep better.

Where Can I Get More Medical Advice About Sleep Issues?

With LifeMD, you can consult a healthcare professional online via our telehealth platform. This means you can skip the waiting room and have your appointment when it suits you.

A team of board-certified physicians and nurse practitioners can provide you with medical advice and treatments, including sleep aids for jet lag and various other health issues.

Make an online appointment to get started.

Kimberly Burrus, NP

Kim’s approach to patient care focuses on compassion and evidence-based medicine brought together to provide high levels of care. She feels this combination allows patients to feel supported and heard throughout their healthcare journey.

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