How to beat jet lag.

Jet lag is a familiar experience to almost every frequent flier. It leaves many travelers with a range of symptoms, including sleep disturbances, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and digestive issues.

But it's possible to learn how to beat jet lag, thanks to a better understanding of what causes it and a growing number of science-backed tactics. If you have a flight coming up crossing three or more time zones, here is how to prevent jet lag (and how to get rid of it when it does strike).

What is jet lag?

"Jet lag is caused by a mismatch between a person's normal daily rhythms and a new time zone. It is a temporary sleep problem that usually occurs when you travel across more than three time zones but can affect anyone who travels across multiple time zones. Jet lag can affect your mood, your ability to concentrate, and your physical and mental performance."

• Center for Disease Control

​​Jet lag is a temporary physiological condition that occurs when a person travels quickly across multiple time zones, causing their internal circadian rhythm to go out of sync with the local time at their destination.

This lag (a disruption) to the body's natural sleep-wake cycle usually causes mild symptoms, including sleep issues, fatigue, impaired cognition, and digestive issues. But, in extreme cases, jet lag can be pretty unpleasant. The good news is that jet lag is temporary and usually dissipates over a few days, gradually getting milder and milder.

Common jet lag symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Sleepiness
• Insomnia
• Difficulty concentrating
• Memory issues
• Constipation and/or digestive issues
• Mood changes
• Irritability
• Physical discomfort

What does jet lag feel like?

In the mildest cases, jet lag is a strong sensation of tiredness that may hit at any point of the day, whether or not it's time for bed. Depending on the time zone difference, it could also have the opposite effect, making it difficult to fall asleep and/or stay asleep.

But jet lag doesn't just stop at sleep-related symptoms. It can also impact your ability to concentrate, directly affecting mental function, memory, and overall cognitive ability.

In more serious cases, there are a range of physical symptoms, from mildly unpleasant to downright terrible. Many people feel physically unwell, almost like having an awful hangover (just without any of the alcohol).

What causes jet lag?

"If you're going to be a member of the Jet Set and fly off to Katmandu [sic] for coffee with King Mahendra, you can count on contracting Jet Lag, a debility not unakin to a hangover. Jet Lag derives from the simple fact that jets travel so fast they leave your body rhythms behind."

• Originally published in the Los Angeles Times, 1966

Interestingly, until the invention of the jet aircraft in 1939, jet lag didn't exist because humans couldn't travel fast enough to disrupt our internal clocks. Only in the 1960s did the Federal Aviation Authority examine the reports from pilots and passengers about the symptoms they were experiencing related to jet travel. According to the Smithsonian, the experience was first labeled "jet lag" in 1966.

Today, we know that jet lag is caused by rapid travel across multiple time zones, with the most noticeable symptoms occurring if you travel across three or more. When we land at our destination several hours ahead (or behind), our internal clock is out of sync with our new environment.

The body's internal clock, called the circadian rhythm, manages many major internal systems, from blood pressure to appetite. When functioning normally, it's based on a 24-hour clock, which is naturally regulated by exposure to light. It's why we tend to wake up with the sun rising and feel tired after the sun sets.

The primary driver of the circadian rhythm and our sleep-wake cycle is the release of melatonin. Our pineal gland is scheduled, like clockwork, to release melatonin at the same time every night once the sun has gone down. But if we land in a different time zone that doesn't align with this release schedule, our internal clock becomes desynchronized.

How long does jet lag last?

If you are crossing up to three time zones, say from Atlanta to San Francisco, symptoms like tiredness are usually just due to general fatigue and should subside within 1-3 days post-flight.

If you are flying more than three time zones, symptoms will likely evolve beyond tiredness. The physical and mental symptoms could last one to three days post-flight, with the tiredness lingering for up to a week.

What if you are only in the new time zone for the weekend (two days or less)? The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends keeping your home sleep-wake schedule "as much as possible." They even suggest that "[s]hort-acting hypnotics or alertness-enhancing drugs, such as caffeine, can help minimize the impact of jet lag during short trips."

If you tend to experience especially severe sleep-wake disruption with travel or have a trans-ocean trip scheduled, you may want to use a jet lag recovery calculator (like Jet Lag Rooster) to estimate the duration of your systems.

No matter how bad the jet lag, the good news is that even in severe cases, the worst of it should only last for a few days.

What influences jet lag duration?

Time zone difference

The number one influence over jet lag duration is how far you fly. The difference between flying between New York and San Francisco (three time zones) and between New York and Tokyo (13 time zones) is the impact on your sleep-wake schedule. The farther-flung your destination, the greater the chance you will experience the whole gamut of jet lag symptoms.

Trip preparedness

Although it may not be possible to eliminate all the symptoms of jet lag, you can reduce the strength and duration of the experience by adequately preparing for your trip. For example, you can gradually adjust your sleep schedule before a trip to match your destination. The CDC also advises reducing your meal sizes heading into a long flight to prevent stomach upset.

East-west direction

Strangely, there is evidence that the direction you travel affects your symptoms. Jet lag is typically worse when traveling east rather than west due to the nature of our internal circadian rhythm. It is easier for your body to extend the day when traveling west, as this requires a phase delay, meaning we can stay awake longer and sleep later. This aligns more comfortably with our internal clock's natural tendency.

How to prevent jet lag.

While it may not be possible to entirely avoid all the issues caused by jet lag (particularly on longer international flights), it is entirely possible to minimize the severity of symptoms. Here's how:

Take strategic naps

Pilots have perfected the art of the strategic nap in order to prevent jet lag at their destination. Mitigate the onset of symptoms after you've landed with a short nap (no more than three hours). Then, get up, get outside, and try to adjust to the destination's bedtime hours.

Shift your sleep schedule

Gradually adjust your sleep schedule a few days before travel to match the destination time zone. Per the CDC, if you are traveling west, you'll want to go to bed an hour or two later than usual, and if you are traveling east, an hour or two earlier.

Get a jet lag app

These days, there is even an app for that. Timeshifter, the most popular of all the jet lag apps, guides you through simple, actionable steps to reduce its impact. Among other things, Timeshifter helps you carefully schedule your light exposure, which, in turn, impacts your natural circadian rhythm. It also personalizes the plan around your schedule and personal preferences.

Eat light meals

Because some of the most unpleasant parts of jet lag revolve around digestive issues, the CDC recommends eating smaller, lighter meals than usual before taking off. Avoid caffeine and alcohol, as these both disrupt sleep.

Combine tactics

Small studies have demonstrated that you are more likely to see improvements with a combination of approaches.

The study, published in 2020, looked at light exposure and "sleep hygiene" (a spectrum of interventions like reduced screen time, physical sleep aids, eating habits, etc.) and saw marked improvement. Frequent flyers could follow this same multi-pronged jet lag self-care approach to have a better chance of reducing the effects.

How to get over jet lag.

You can realistically only prepare so much before you fly, so what happens when jet lag strikes after you land?

Stay hydrated

Pilots and health professionals agree that staying hydrated is a fundamental aspect of kicking jet lag. Stick with water, and only water, for the first day or so, even if a morning coffee is calling your name after you land. Coffee (and all caffeine) may alleviate your experience in the short term but will only prolong your fatigue and tiredness.

Alcohol is another no-no, even on the long flight over. Alcohol is a known sleep disruptor, even when you aren't traveling. It won't help your cause if you continue to drink after your arrival.

Smart light exposure

There is a reason experts, including those behind the Timeshifter app, are so committed to properly scheduling light exposure post-flight: It immediately impacts our circadian rhythm. Although it's a complicated science, you'll want to remember that morning light is the most impactful on the sleep-wake cycle.

Harvard Medical School sleep researcher Rebecca Robbins told the Washington Post, "If you get [to your destination] first thing in the morning, you don't want to go outside. What that is doing is actually just extending your circadian system even further." Instead, take a morning nap and head outside for light exposure in the late afternoon.

Follow sleep hygiene protocols

Even without the burden of jet lag, following sleep hygiene protocols will help you get a better night's rest - and this is especially true if you are adapting to a new schedule. A few suggestions include creating a quiet, dark, and cool sleep environment, removing electronic devices and other distractions, and getting regular light exercise. You might also consider a calming pre-sleep routine, such as reading or taking a warm bath, to help relax before bed.

Wherever you are flying, arrive rested. Fly Volato.

The next time you have a cross-country flight, set yourself up for success. Start adjusting your sleep schedule a day or two before, download the Timeshifter app, and charter a private flight on one of Volato's national fleet of private jets.

Private chartering a flight with Volato is a more comfortable, quieter journey from the moment you place the booking. Combined with the best customer experience in private aviation and a flight tailored to your every need, we'll ensure you land at your destination fully rested and ready to embrace the new time zone.

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Disclaimer: This post is intended for informational purposes only. Volato is not responsible for omissions or inaccuracies in such information, or for data that is no longer accurate due to delay, change in law, rules, or regulations.