As a frequent traveler, I’m familiar with jet lag and its effects. I know how it disrupts sleep, drains energy, and makes even simple tasks feel harder. If I stay in the same time zone for several days, I can stave off most of the effects before I head back home.
However, on those occasional trips where I hop from time zone to time zone, jet lag takes its toll and it becomes harder to stay healthy while traveling. The shift feels stronger, and the adjustment becomes more challenging. I notice the fatigue sooner, and the recovery takes longer. Understanding how jet lag works helps me prepare for these moments and manage the impact. With the right habits, I can stay focused and enjoy my travels with more comfort and clarity.
Jet Lag Symptoms
Some of the symptoms include:
- Insomnia or waking up too early
- Sleeping too long
- Daytime fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Stomach problems
- A general feeling of not being well
- Mood changes
These symptoms appear often when jet lag disrupts my normal routine. I notice the changes quickly because they affect how I function during the day. The lack of quality sleep makes simple tasks feel harder, and my energy drops faster than usual.
Even worse, inevitably, if I’ve been on the road too long, I come down with a cold when I get home. I chalk that up to being run down from all the travel and breathing germy airplane air. My body feels stressed, and the shift in time zones makes recovery slower.
According to the Mayo Clinic, jet lag comes from a disruption to our circadian rhythms. In other words, our internal clocks get messed up big time, throwing our sleep‑wake cycles off track. It takes a few days for our bodies to adjust, which means our sleep, eating, and bodily function schedules shift.
Our internal clocks are influenced by sunlight. When there’s no sunlight, the body’s hypothalamus tells the pineal gland, a small organ in the brain, to release melatonin. This hormone signals that it is time to sleep. When jet lag interferes with this process, the body struggles to match the new schedule.
The result is a mix of physical and mental symptoms that feel different for everyone. Understanding these signs helps me prepare for long trips and manage the effects before they build. Recognizing the early signals also makes it easier to adjust my routine and support my body as it adapts to a new time zone.
Tips for Avoiding Jet Lag
If you can plan ahead and make sure you’ll be exposed to light, you may be able to avoid jet lag by training your body to the new time zone’s sunlight hours. If you’re traveling east, morning light exposure can help you adjust to the earlier time zone. Likewise, when traveling west, exposing yourself to light in the evening helps you adapt to a later time zone.
While getting outside in the natural sunlight is your best bet for changing your internal clock, if that’s not possible you can use a bright light desk lamp or bright room lights as a substitute. Light exposure helps your body shift its rhythm and match the new schedule more easily.
Try these tips from the National Sleep Foundation to help you avoid jet lag:
- Choose a flight time that allows early evening arrival and then make yourself stay up until 10 p.m. local time.
- If you have to nap, make sure it’s in the early afternoon and take a short nap only.
- Several days prior to flying east, wake up and go to bed earlier than usual. If flying west try to get up and go to sleep a little later.
- Change your watch to the destination time zone as soon as you get on the plane.
- Avoid alcohol or caffeine at least three to four hours before bedtime. Both act as “stimulants” and prevent sleep.
- Once you arrive at your destination, don’t eat a heavy meal.
- Don’t do any heavy exercise close to bedtime.
- Bring earplugs and blindfolds to help dampen noise and block out unwanted light while sleeping.
These habits help your body shift more smoothly and reduce the strain that jet lag creates. Small adjustments before and during your trip can make a noticeable difference in how you feel when you land.
My “secret” is to not worry too much about jet lag. If you do, you can actually disrupt your own natural rhythms. Staying calm and flexible helps your body adjust with less stress and more ease.
Rieva Lesonsky is an entrepreneur, best-selling author and self-educated health nut. Follow her @Rieva.
