I love to travel, and with my fiancé living on the other side of the Atlantic, a lot of flying back and forth is simply part of my life. I cross multiple time zones on a regular basis, and jet lag is something I’ve learned to live with. Flying east and west, short trips and longer stays, overnight flights and daytime flights. Jet lag feels very different depending on which direction you’re traveling, and in this post I’m sharing what has actually helped me get through it with my sanity more or less intact.
What is jet lag, and how long does it last?
Jet lag happens when your internal clock no longer matches local time. Your body regulates sleep, appetite, energy levels, and hormones according to a daily rhythm, and when you suddenly move across several time zones in a matter of hours, it simply can’t keep up.
A common rule of thumb is one day per time zone to fully adjust, but for most people the first three to five days are the worst. Fatigue, early waking, restlessness, and trouble concentrating are classic symptoms. Jet lag never completely disappears when you travel long distances often, but you can make the transition a lot easier. For me, it’s less about fighting my body and more about helping it understand where in the world it has landed.
General tips for dealing with jet lag
Avoid alcohol
A glass of wine might sound tempting if you’re trying to fall asleep, but alcohol leads to lighter, more fragmented sleep. You may fall asleep faster, but you’ll wake up earlier and more often, which only prolongs the jet lag.
Watch your caffeine intake
Avoid coffee, black tea, and energy drinks at least six to eight hours before bedtime. I’ll happily drink coffee in the morning and early afternoon, but later in the day I switch to water or herbal tea. In the evening, chamomile, lemon balm, or lavender tea works really well for me.
Stick to local meal times
Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner according to local time, even if you’re not particularly hungry. It sends a clear signal to your body about when the day starts and ends.
Create the best possible sleep environment
A cool, dark, quiet room makes it much easier to fall asleep. That’s not always realistic, so I always travel with a good sleep mask and sometimes earplugs. Small things, but they make a big difference.
Stay active without overstimulating
When I travel, I try to do online yoga classes once a day. Gentle yoga or stretching helps the body settle without giving you a surge of energy right before bedtime.
Traveling east: the hard direction
When you travel east, jet lag is often especially rough. Mornings are hard, and many people find themselves wide awake in the middle of the night. Back when my friend Rikke and I worked as flight attendants, we went on a short vacation to Tokyo where we were basically only awake at night. When it was 8 a.m. in Tokyo, it was midnight in Denmark, and our internal clocks were completely upside down.
We dealt with it by going out every night and sleeping well into the afternoon. Perfect if the goal is partying, but definitely not something I’d recommend if you actually want to experience the city during the day.
Tips for jet lag when traveling east
Start shifting your bedtime earlier a few days before departure if possible
Avoid long naps after arrival. A power nap of up to 20 minutes is fine, anything longer will make things worse.
Get daylight early in the day. It helps your body understand that it’s morning.
Avoid screens late at night. Light from phones and laptops makes it harder to fall asleep.
Accept that the first nights will be rough. Sticking to local time helps you adjust faster.
Traveling west: early mornings, early bedtimes
When traveling west, the challenge is different. You tend to wake up far too early in the morning and feel sleepy way too early in the evening.
For me, this is especially noticeable because I normally go to bed fairly early and usually wake up between 6 and 7 at home. When it’s 6 p.m. in New York, it’s midnight in Denmark, so my body naturally thinks the day is over right when it’s time to head out for dinner.
Tips for jet lag when traveling west
Aim for local bedtime from day one, even if it feels unnatural and at least try to avoid going to bed before 9 p.m. local time, even if you’re exhausted at 6.
Get outside and soak up light in the late afternoon and early evening to help stay awake.
Stay lightly active. A walk, some stretching, or gentle yoga early evening is often enough.
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