How to Avoid Jet Lag (Or at Least Make It Less Brutal)

Jet lag is inevitable when you cross multiple time zones. Your body's internal clock doesn't magically sync to local time the moment you land.

But there's a difference between feeling rough for a day and spending half your trip exhausted, irritable, and unable to sleep at night or stay awake during the day.

You can't eliminate jet lag entirely, but you can make it significantly less miserable with some straightforward prep and discipline.

Start adjusting before you leave

Don't wait until you're on the plane to think about time zones.

If you're flying east (which is typically harder on your body), start going to bed an hour earlier for a few nights before departure. If you're flying west, stay up an hour later. You won't fully adjust before you leave, but shifting even slightly helps your body adapt faster once you arrive.

This only works if you're disciplined about it. Going to bed earlier one night and staying up until 2 AM the next doesn't count.

Adjust meal times too if you can. Eating closer to the schedule of your destination helps signal your body that things are changing. It's not a magic fix, but small shifts add up. 

Sleep strategy on the flight

Whether you sleep on the plane depends on when you're arriving.

Landing in the morning? Try to sleep as much as possible during the flight. You want to arrive rested enough to push through the day and stay awake until a reasonable local bedtime. If you land exhausted and collapse at 3 PM, you'll wake up at midnight and wreck your entire schedule.

Landing at night? Stay awake as much as you can on the flight. Watch movies, read, walk around. Arrive tired enough to sleep at local bedtime instead of being wide awake at 11 PM because you napped for six hours mid-flight.

This is easier said than done, especially on long-haul flights. A proper Flexible Infinity Travel Pillow helps when you're trying to sleep. A 3D Contoured Sleep Mask blocks light. Earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones help when you're trying to stay awake without being driven mad by engine noise.

Light is your most powerful tool

Your body uses light to regulate sleep. Exposure to bright light at the right time helps reset your internal clock.

When you arrive, get outside as soon as possible. Natural sunlight—especially morning sunlight—signals your brain that it's daytime. Even if you're exhausted, spending time in daylight helps you adjust faster than staying indoors under artificial lights.

If you land at night, avoid bright lights. Dim your hotel room, use warm lighting, and don't stare at screens. You want your brain to understand it's nighttime, not midday.

Sunglasses can help too. If you arrive in the morning but it's nighttime back home, wearing sunglasses for the first few hours can ease the transition. Once you want your body to wake up, take them off and soak up the light.

It sounds simple because it is. Light exposure works. Use it strategically.

Stay awake until local bedtime (even if it's brutal)

This is the hardest part and the most important.

When you arrive, do not nap. No matter how tempting it is. If you crash for three hours in the afternoon, you'll be wide awake at 2 AM. Push through.

If you absolutely must rest, set an alarm for 20-30 minutes maximum. A power nap can take the edge off without completely derailing your schedule. Anything longer and you're setting yourself up for a rough night.

Keep moving. Walk around. Explore. Sit in a park. Do anything that keeps you upright and engaged. The more you move, the easier it is to stay awake.

Caffeine helps, but be strategic. A coffee in the morning or early afternoon is fine. Drinking coffee at 5 PM because you're fading will keep you wired past midnight. Know when to cut yourself off.

Eat on local time immediately

Your digestive system is tied to your circadian rhythm. Eating at local meal times helps signal your body it's time to adjust.

Don't skip meals because you're not hungry or it's the "wrong" time according to your old schedule. Eat breakfast when locals eat breakfast. Eat dinner when locals eat dinner. Your body will start syncing.

Avoid heavy meals late at night. They make it harder to fall asleep and can leave you feeling sluggish the next day. Light dinners work better when you're adjusting.

Avoid alcohol (at least for the first day or two)

Alcohol messes with sleep quality even when you're not jet-lagged. When you're already struggling to adjust, it makes things worse.

A glass of wine might help you fall asleep, but the sleep you get won't be restful. You'll wake up groggy, dehydrated, and possibly at 4 AM wide awake.

If you're going to drink, keep it minimal and early in the evening. Don't rely on alcohol to knock yourself out.

Create a good sleep environment

Your hotel room matters more than you think.

Make it as dark as possible. Close curtains, cover any light from electronics, use an eye mask if needed. Light leaking in at 5 AM will wake you up before you're ready. 

Keep it cool. A warm room makes it harder to fall asleep and stay asleep. If you can control the temperature, err on the cooler side. 

Reduce noise. Earplugs help if your room is noisy or you're a light sleeper. Even small sounds—hallway conversations, traffic—can disrupt sleep when your body's already struggling. 

Bring basics if your hotel setup is lacking. A Butterfly Memory Foam Neck Support Pillow, a lightweight blanket, whatever you need to be comfortable. Don't suffer through bad sleep just because the hotel didn't provide enough pillows. 

Give yourself time

Jet lag doesn't disappear overnight. A rough guideline: expect one day of adjustment per time zone crossed. Flying from Australia to Europe (8-10 time zones)? You're looking at a week to fully adjust.

That doesn't mean you'll be useless for a week. It means the first few days will be rough, and you'll gradually feel more normal.

What actually helps vs. what doesn't

Melatonin works for some people. It's not magic, but taking a small dose (1-3mg) an hour before local bedtime can help signal your body it's time to sleep. Start with the lowest dose. More isn't better.

Sleeping pills are risky. They might knock you out, but the sleep quality is often poor, and they can leave you groggy the next day. Use them as a last resort, not a first option.

"Jet lag apps" and elaborate adjustment schedules might work if you're extremely disciplined. For most people, they're overkill. The basics—light exposure, meal timing, staying awake until bedtime—cover 90% of what you need.

Staying organised during travel helps too. The less stressed and exhausted you are from the journey itself, the easier it is to handle jet lag when you arrive. Having your essentials sorted in Compression Packing Cubes, keeping documents accessible, and travelling with a comfortable Weekender Travel Duffel Bag all contribute to arriving in better shape. 

The bottom line

Jet lag is miserable, but it doesn't have to dominate your trip.

Adjust gradually before you leave. Sleep strategically on the flight. Get sunlight when you arrive. Stay awake until local bedtime. Eat and drink on local time. Create a good sleep environment.

Do these things and you'll adjust faster. Skip them, and you'll spend half your trip feeling like garbage.

It's not complicated. It just requires discipline when you're tired and tempted to give in. But a few rough hours on day one beats feeling wrecked for the entire week.