How to Manage It Before, During, and After a Flight

• If you travel through more than a few time zones, you’re likely to experience jet lag.
• Before your flight, you should do your best to adjust to the time zone of your destination.
• When you arrive, try your best to limit caffeine and naps to sleep through the night.

If you’ve flown over land or sea, chances are you’ve experienced a phenomenon called jet lag — a discrepancy between your normal daily routine and the time at your new destination.

Inevitably, when you’re crossing more than a few time zones, your body needs some time to adjust — and you may struggle with symptoms like trouble sleeping, fatigue, and a general “off” feeling.

The good news: A little preparation can go a long way when it comes to jet lag. Sabra Abbott, associate professor of neurology in sleep medicine at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, says it’s possible to minimize the effects of jet lag before, during, and after flying. Here’s her advice.

What is jet lag?

Many bodily functions, such as hunger and sleep, are controlled by an internal clock called the circadian rhythm. The clock’s most important cue is sunlight, which essentially sets a schedule for your body to wake up and go to bed at regular times.

Jet lag occurs when you enter a new time zone faster than your circadian rhythm can adjust.

“If you quickly move to another time zone where the light-dark schedule differs from your internal clock, you can have several days for all of these processes to catch up,” says Abbott.

While jet lag can affect people differently, it can cause symptoms like:

• Difficulty falling and staying asleep
• Decreased alertness during the day
• sleepiness during the day
• General malaise
• Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Studies suggest that jet lag is more severe the more time zones one travels. It also tends to be worse when traveling east rather than west, as the body can lengthen its circadian rhythm more easily than it can shorten it. Basically, it is more difficult to go to bed earlier than usual than later.

Some people are more likely to suffer from jet lag than others: According to Abbott, older people generally don’t notice as many negative effects — studies aren’t clear why — but people who travel frequently may be less affected because they’ve learned how to do severe ones prevent symptoms. On the other hand, research suggests that people who have experienced jet lag once are likely to experience it again.

It can take a few days to get over jet lag symptoms — according to Abbott, jet lag duration often corresponds to the number of time zones you’ve traveled. So if you’ve traveled three time zones, those many days might make you feel better. “That’s the rough average, but it can be shorter,” says Abbott. “Everyone is different in how they adapt.”

What to do before you travel

A week before the trip, Abbott suggests gradually shifting your schedule to the new one each day to help your circadian rhythm adjust to a new routine.

Suppose you usually go to bed at 11:00 PM CT, which is 5:00 AM in Paris. Go to bed a little earlier each night and wake up a little earlier each day before your trip.

Abbott also recommends eating closer to the times you will be eating at your destination to help shift your body’s hunger cues.

If you have an important event, it may be best to arrive a few days in advance so you can prepare beforehand.

Tips for during the flight

To prepare your body for the change, Abbott says you should try to stick to the schedule you would follow on the flight in your new time zone. If it’s day where you’re going, stay awake; If it’s night, try to sleep. Earplugs and something to cover your eyes can help you sleep.

Some people prefer night flights so they can sleep all the time, making it easier to get through the next day and go to bed at a “normal” hour. Keep in mind that this approach only works if your flight is long enough to ensure adequate quality sleep (Abbott says that’s 7 to 10 hours).

Avoid drinking too much caffeine and alcohol during the flight. Both can make jet lag worse by disrupting your sleep quality and circadian rhythm.

What to do when you arrive

When you land you will probably be tired. But resist the urge to take a three-hour nap if it’s daytime; Sleeping at the wrong time only makes it harder to go to bed later.

If you absolutely must sleep, a short hour should be enough to tide you over until bedtime.

“Sleep enough to get through the rest of the day and go to bed at the new time instead of following your schedule at home,” says Abbott.

A little caffeine can help keep you awake when you’re trying to sleep, but Abbott cautions against too much caffeine late in the day only keeping you up at night.

Research suggests that taking a melatonin supplement before bed may also help reset your body clock when you change time zones. “If you’re taking melatonin outside the window, you’d naturally produce it, you can shift your clock sooner or later,” says Abbott. She suggests taking half a milligram to a milligram about an hour before bed.

Other studies have found that prescription sleep aids like zolpidem (Ambien) may help people with jet lag fall asleep at night for the first few days after arriving in a new time zone, but not with other jet lag symptoms such as GI disorders or moodiness.

When it’s time for bed, practice sleep hygiene to remind your body it’s time to rest. Abbott recommends closing the curtains and turning off all lights in your room to simulate darkness and wearing earplugs, or using white noise to create a quiet environment.

Eating and being active at the same time as you normally would can also help. For example, if you usually eat lunch and then go for a walk around midday, doing the same at your new destination can help your body adjust to the new schedule. “Anything you do can serve as a time cue, so try to fit those activities into your new schedule as well,” says Abbott.

Insider snack

Traveling in more than a few time zones can disrupt your physiology and cause jet lag symptoms that can disrupt your routine on your trip. If you can, consider preparing your body for your trip just as you would prepare the logistics of your travels. “You can’t prevent jet lag, but you can take steps to help your body adapt,” says Abbott.