Evidence-based ways to reduce jet lag, light exposure, sleep timing, hydration and how to adjust before you fly, so you lose fewer days to fatigue.
Jet lag is your body clock arguing with the local time. You can't eliminate it, but you can shrink it from days to hours.
Before you fly
- Shift your sleep an hour earlier or later for a few days, toward your destination's time
- Arrive rested, an all-nighter before a long-haul makes it worse
- Book arrival for the local evening when you can, so you sleep on schedule
On the plane
- Set your watch to the destination time and eat and sleep accordingly
- Hydrate constantly; skip alcohol and heavy meals
- Move around and stretch every couple of hours
After you land
- Get outside, daylight is the single most powerful reset for your body clock
- Stay awake until a local bedtime; a short early nap is fine, a long one isn't
- Ease into the first day; this is why arrival-day plans should be light (see how many days do you need)
Which trips hit hardest
East–west long-hauls across many time zones are the worst, a long route like New York to Tokyo needs a recovery day built in. Shorter north–south trips barely register.
Plan an easy first day with the planner so jet lag doesn't cost you a highlight.