So, if you've traveled more than eight time zones to the east, wear sunglasses and avoid bright light in the morning, and then allow as much sunlight as possible in the late afternoon for the first few days in your new location. If you have traveled west by more than eight time zones, avoid sunlight a few hours before dark for the first few days to adjust to the local time. Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Jet lag, also called jet lag disorder, is a temporary sleep problem that can affect anyone who quickly travels across multiple time zones. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Weir RE. Jet lag and shift work. Sleep Medicine Clinic. Goldstein CA.
Jet lag. Accessed Sept. Kryger MH, et al. Shift work, shift-work disorder and jet lag. In: Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine. Louis, Mo. Accessed Aug. Longo DL, et al. Sleep disorders. In: Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. New York, N. Yes, jet lag happens when you alter your natural circadian rhythm because of travel to a new time zone. Your circadian rhythm is your internal clock that your body uses to manage sleep and wake times.
Traveling disrupts the measures your body uses to manage its internal clock, such as daylight, your temperature, and your hormones.
Jet lag is worse as you travel from west to east — it may last longer than if you travel westbound. Jet lag is a very common occurrence, and there are several ways you can try to make the transition to a new time zone more quickly and with fewer symptoms. When you arrive at your destination, try to forget your old time zone as quickly as possible.
Your technology will likely update clocks automatically, but if you have a manually set watch or travel clock, set those to the new time as soon as you depart. Eat meals and go to bed according to the time at your destination. This can make it difficult to sleep later on. Long-distance travel may cause dehydration, and you may even reduce water consumption during travel to avoid bathroom breaks.
Think again about this choice. Proper hydration may help manage jet lag symptoms and travel fatigue. You can also purchase water in the terminal or request it in-flight.
Continue to drink plenty of water upon your arrival. Jet lag interrupts your internal clock in part because your exposure to light changes when you travel and change time zones. Getting outside in the sunshine can wake up your body and reduce the release of melatonin hormones that make you sleepy. Exposing yourself to morning light will help if you need to wake up and function earlier when you travel east.
Getting more light at night can be useful if you need to stay up later in your new time zone when you travel west. You can also use a special lamp to expose yourself to light. The types of lights that may help decrease your jet lag can be in the form of a lamp, a light box, or even headgear. You may find these types of lights also advertised for seasonal affective disorder.
One study found that milligrams mg of slow-release caffeine enhanced alertness in those traveling eastbound. Coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks, and even chocolate contain caffeine. Be sure to keep in mind other substances in these drinks, such as sugar, before consuming them. When access to natural light is limited, light therapy lamps, also known as lightboxes, can deliver bright light exposure with greater circadian influence.
Melatonin is a hormone that the body produces that helps to both make you feel sleepy and govern your circadian rhythm. Melatonin is normally produced in the evening, a few hours before bedtime, but this schedule can get thrown off by jet lag. Other types of sleeping pills , including prescription and over-the-counter drugs and natural sleep aids, may help you fall asleep or stay asleep, but they do not work to change your circadian rhythm. In some cases, they may even mask an ongoing case of jet lag.
Sleep aids can have side effects, including a heightened risk of falls and accidents if they increase drowsiness. Some methods of preventing jet lag are based on modifying your sleep schedule in the days leading up to your trip so that when you arrive at your destination there is less of a discrepancy between your circadian rhythm and the local time.
In addition to changing your bedtime, this approach often involves carefully timed melatonin and light exposure to proactively alter your circadian rhythm. While this approach may be beneficial in some cases, it may not be practical depending on your daily schedule, and professional, family, and social obligations. The optimal plan to avoid jet lag depends on many factors including the direction of your flight, the number of time zones crossed, how long you will remain at your destination, and your schedule and obligations during your trip.
Taking these factors into account, you can create a personalized plan to reduce jet lag. Light and melatonin together can help you realign your circadian rhythm, but without proper timing, they can exacerbate rather than reduce jet lag. A doctor, travel nurse, or sleep specialist may be available to help you prepare a plan for managing jet lag. Several online resources and apps can help you generate tailored schedules to help reduce jet lag based on your trip detaails.
A number of practical tips for before, during, and after your flight can help reduce sleep disruptions and travel fatigue so that you make the most of your trip.
Eric Suni has over a decade of experience as a science writer and was previously an information specialist for the National Cancer Institute. His research and clinical practice focuses on the entire myriad of sleep disorders. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies.
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Updated February 8, Written by Eric Suni. Medically Reviewed by Dr. Abhinav Singh. What Are the Symptoms of Jet Lag? What Causes Jet Lag? What Is Jet Lag? The most common symptoms of jet lag include: Sleeping problems: It may be hard to fall asleep when you want to, or you may wake up earlier than planned. Jet lag can also cause sleep to be fragmented.
Daytime sleepiness: Jet lag frequently causes you to feel drowsy or tired during the day. Impaired thinking: You may experience problems with attention or memory or simply feel like your thinking is slowed. Hampered physical function: Your body may feel tired, and peak physical performance may be affected, which is especially notable for traveling athletes.
Emotional difficulties: Some people with jet lag feel irritable, and evidence indicates that jet lag can exacerbate mental health problems , such as mood disorders. General malaise: Jet lag may make you feel malaise , which is a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness Stomach problems: Jet lag can induce gastrointestinal problems like reduced appetite, nausea, or even constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.
Sleep paralysis and seizures: In rare circumstances, jet lag may impact sleep architecture which may increase the risk of sleep paralysis and nighttime seizures. Multiple factors influence the likelihood and severity of jet lag: Trip details: The total distance, amount of layovers, time zones crossed, direction of travel, local daylight hours, length of time at the destination, and other specifics of a trip can affect jet lag.
Arrival time: When you arrive at your destination may affect your circadian rhythm. For eastward travel, some evidence indicates that jet lag is reduced with afternoon arrivals compared to those in the early morning. People over 60 experience circadian changes that can make it harder for them to recover from jet lag , but some research in pilots found jet lag to be worse in younger people. Stress: Being stressed-out can keep the mind and body on-edge in ways that interfere with sleep and make it harder to cope with jet lag.
Use of alcohol and caffeine: Many people drink alcohol and coffee during flights, and these substances affect the brain in ways that can disrupt sleep. Past history of jet lag: People who have previously had jet lag are prone to have it again.
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Medical Encyclopedia. Jet lag disorder. Walker, W. Circadian rhythm disruption and mental health. Translational Psychiatry, 10 1 , Schwab, R. Duboc, H. Disruption of circadian rhythms and gut motility: An overview of underlying mechanisms and associated pathologies.
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