Tips

Beating jet lag: what the evidence supports

Jet lag is your body clock running on the old time zone. Light and timing move it; most gadgets and supplements do not.

What works

• Light at the right time. Flying east: get morning light at the destination and avoid bright light in the evening for the first days. Flying west: seek evening light and avoid early morning light.
• Shift before you fly. Moving bedtime 30 to 60 minutes a day towards the destination time for three days cuts adjustment time.
• Melatonin, low dose, at destination bedtime. 0.5 to 3 mg for the first few nights after eastward flights has the best evidence of any supplement.
• Meal timing. Eat on the destination schedule from the first day; skip the midnight airline meal if it is breakfast time where you are going.
• Caffeine in the morning only at the destination.

What does not

• Sleeping pills on the plane: they do not reset the clock and leave you groggy.
• Alcohol: worsens sleep quality and dehydration.
• "No-jet-lag" tablets and apps that only tell you to drink water.

Rule of thumb

About one day of adjustment per time zone crossed eastward, a little less westward. For trips of two days or fewer, stay on home time if the schedule allows.

Last reviewed: 21 October 2026. Schedules and fees change; confirm with the operator before you book.