The best way to sleep with jet lag is to follow the local time at your destination, stay awake until local bedtime if it is daytime, avoid long naps, and use darkness at night and bright natural light during the day. A short nap of 20 to 30 minutes can help if you cannot stay awake safely, but longer daytime sleep may make it harder to sleep that night.
Jet lag happens when your internal body clock is out of sync with the time zone around you. Common symptoms include trouble falling asleep, waking too early, daytime exhaustion and poor-quality sleep. Symptoms usually improve within a few days as your body adjusts.
What to Do Tonight
| Situation | Best approach |
|---|---|
| It is daytime at your destination | Stay awake until local bedtime. Get outside and use natural light. |
| You are too exhausted to function safely | Take one short nap of 20 to 30 minutes, preferably early in the afternoon. |
| It is nighttime at your destination | Go to bed even if you do not feel sleepy. Keep the room dark, quiet and cool. |
| You wake during the night | Keep the lights low, avoid repeatedly checking your phone and return to bed when you feel sleepy. |
| You have an early meeting or event | Do not try to catch up with several hours of daytime sleep. Use a short nap instead. |
1. Switch to Destination Time Immediately
Set your watch and phone to the destination time. Plan your meals, activity and sleep around that schedule.
If you arrive during the day, try to stay awake until a normal local bedtime. Staying awake during the local day builds the natural drive to sleep at night.
After westward travel, staying awake until evening may be easier if you arrive in the morning. After eastward travel, an earlier bedtime can be harder. A short nap and well-timed light exposure may help, but avoid sleeping for several hours during the day.
2. Keep Daytime Naps Short
A nap can improve alertness, but a long nap reduces the sleep pressure you need at night. Aim for 20 to 30 minutes and set an alarm. Avoid napping late in the afternoon or evening.
The CDC gives a more conservative target of about 15 to 20 minutes for people who want to sleep normally that night.
3. Use Light to Reset Your Body Clock
Natural light helps adjust the sleep-wake cycle.
- After eastward travel: Morning light generally helps shift your body clock earlier. Keep evening light low.
- After westward travel: Late-afternoon or early-evening light generally helps shift your body clock later. Avoid unnecessary bright light early in the morning.
- At night: Use blackout curtains or an eye mask to keep the room dark.
The right timing depends on how many time zones you crossed and your travel schedule. Bright light at the wrong time can shift your body clock in the wrong direction. Use a jet-lag calculator or ask a healthcare professional if you need a precise plan.
4. Make the Room Sleep-Friendly
A dark, quiet and cool room can make it easier to sleep while your body clock is still adjusting. You may find these items useful:
- An eye mask
- Earplugs or white noise
- Blackout curtains
- A cool room temperature
- A phone on silent or outside arm's reach
- Comfortable clothing and bedding
Do not use alcohol as a sleep aid. Alcohol may help you fall asleep faster, but it can fragment sleep and worsen dehydration, which may intensify jet-lag symptoms.
5. Use Caffeine Only Early in the Local Day
Caffeine can help you stay alert during the day, but having it later in the afternoon or evening can delay sleep. Stop caffeine several hours before local bedtime. The CDC advises using caffeine during the day and avoiding it in the evening.
Drink water during and after the flight. Avoid drinking large amounts immediately before bed, since bathroom trips can interrupt your sleep.
6. Should You Take Melatonin for Jet Lag?
Melatonin may help some travelers, but timing matters more than taking a large dose. The CDC says that 0.5 to 1 milligram is often enough to produce a circadian shift and advises against doses above 5 milligrams. Taking melatonin at the wrong time can increase misalignment.
The evidence is mixed. The NHS does not recommend melatonin for jet lag because it considers the evidence insufficient. The CDC says some evidence supports its use for jet-lag-related sleep problems. Melatonin supplements are also not regulated as strictly as prescription medicines in the United States, so the amount in a product may differ from its label.
If you are considering melatonin, ask a doctor or pharmacist about:
- The timing for eastward or westward travel
- Possible interactions with your medicines
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or existing medical conditions
- Whether it is suitable for children or older adults
Do not combine melatonin or prescription sleeping medicine with alcohol.
7. Should You Use Sleeping Pills for Jet Lag?
Sleeping pills are not usually the first solution for ordinary jet lag. They can cause next-day drowsiness, confusion, memory problems, sleepwalking and other side effects. Some longer-acting sedatives can affect coordination and thinking.
A healthcare professional should decide whether medication is appropriate, especially if you need to drive, work or make important decisions the next day.
If You Are Traveling for Only Two or Three Days
For a trip lasting only two or three days, keeping your home sleep schedule may be more practical than fully adapting to the destination time and then changing back.
When to Get Medical Advice
Speak with a healthcare professional if jet lag remains severe after several days, repeatedly disrupts important travel or leads you to rely on sleeping medication.