How do you beat jet lag?

Jet lag fixes that work right away

Jet lag happens when your body clock falls out of sync with a new time zone, often after long-haul flights. The practical goal is to shift sleep and wake timing as quickly (and safely) as possible—without trying to “power through” for days.

Do these early, especially on arrival day

• Get bright light at your destination’s morning. Morning daylight helps signal that it’s time to be awake at the new local time.
• Avoid bright light late at night. If you need to be out, keep lights dim and consider limiting screen brightness in the hours you want your body to treat as “night.”
• Plan your first sleep window. Try to sleep when it matches the destination night, even if it’s not perfect the first night.
• Stay hydrated and keep meals timed to local hours. Irregular eating can worsen sleep disruption.

Use movement and timing to reduce symptoms

A common reason travelers feel worse than expected is that they don’t adjust daily rhythms quickly enough. Building in light activity (a short walk) can help you feel alert during the daytime while still supporting your sleep later.

What matters most

Small, consistent actions—especially light exposure timing and sleep-window planning—tend to have the biggest impact.

If you tell me your route, arrival time, and destination time zone, I can suggest a simple day-by-day schedule (when to sleep, when to seek light, and when to avoid it).