How to Avoid Jet Lag: Causes, Feelings & Tips to Minimize

Author's Profile Picture
how to avoid jet lag

Ever landed in a new time zone feeling like you only want to lie down on your soft bed again? Your brain says “SLEEP”, but the local clock screams “TIME for BRUNCH!”

Welcome to jet lag - your body’s hilarious rebellion against time travel. Read on to learn what’s going on and how to negotiate the peace inside your body!

to Shanghai
to Tokyo
to Hong Kong
to Singapore
to Seoul
See all flights

What Exactly Is Jet Lag?

Let’s divide the phrase into “Jet” and “Lag”. “Jet” typically means jet airplanes, and “lag” refers to falling behind. So, it’s quite easy to understand why we call this special sleep disorder “Jet Lag”.

What causes jet lag for most travelers who fly far away from their home?

Well, since high-speed jet travel makes people switch their location across multiple time zones in a few hours, our body’s internal clock struggles to keep up with the rapid change. So, it says “I want to sleep more or less”.

It’s common for most of us, and sometimes it can spoil your mood! Read on to know what’s happening inside.

What Is Happening to Our Body When Jet Lag Occurs?

what's happening to our body when jet lag occurs

Imagine your body is an old clock that dislikes surprises. When you zoom across time zones, your internal clock goes like: “Wait - why is the sun here?!” See the breakdown below:

  • Brain lost: Our brain uses light to sync with local time. If you land in London at noon but your brain thinks it’s 4 AM, the brain just feels wrong, and stays sleepy.
  • Hormones panic: We have many hormone types as sleep, alarm clock, hunger, and mood manager hormones. Your functional hormones will freak out when you suddenly cross the time zones, just like when everyone shows up at the wrong time at a party.
  • Betrayed stomach: This is about your digestive system, does it which is always running on a strict schedule. Your gut will be so confused that you might crave pancakes at midnight or just hate the food you usually love.
🎁 Grab a New User Coupon for the Best Hotel~ | Book Cheap Flights on Trip.com!
Claim 8% Off Coupon & Book Top Global Hotels
See All Hotels
NO.1
TRIBE Living Bangkok Sukhumvit 39 by AccorHotels
9/101203 reviews
TRIBE Living Bangkok Sukhumvit 39 by AccorHotels
Hotel in Bangkok
NO.2
Shanghai Xiangyun Resort Hotel
9.7/104129 reviews
Shanghai Xiangyun Resort Hotel
Hotel in Shanghai
NO.3
KOKO HOTEL Osaka Shinsaibashi
9.1/101635 reviews
KOKO HOTEL Osaka Shinsaibashi
Hotel in Osaka
NO.4
The Mulia Bali
9.6/1048 reviews
The Mulia Bali
Hotel in Bali
NO.5
J Hotel Shanghai Tower
9.5/104004 reviews
J Hotel Shanghai Tower
Hotel in Shanghai
NO.6
HOSHINOYA Fuji
9.5/10130 reviews
HOSHINOYA Fuji
Hotel in Fujikawaguchiko
NO.7
Le Sirenuse
9.7/1043 reviews
Le Sirenuse
Hotel in Positano

How Long Does It Take for Jet Lag to Diminish?

Our body hates time jumps, but whether you’re flying east or west, the proper ways for recovery are easy to take. So, here are some tips for you when you hop on these two different travel orientations.

Eastbound - Flying toward the Sunrise

  • Example: LA - Paris / NYC - Dubai
  • Feelings: lose hours, brain fights to go to bed early
  • Recovery Time: 1.5 days per time zone

Westbound - Flying to the Sunset

  • Example: London - NYC / Tokyo - Hawaii
  • Feelings: gain hours, a sleepover, prefer staying up late
  • Recovery Time: 1 day per time zone

Is There Anything I Can Do to Avoid Jet Lag?

Flying Orientations

Before the Flight

During the Flight

After Landing

Example

Eastbound Flights

- Go to bed 1 hour earlier each night

- Soak up the morning sunshine

 

- Eat at destination time

- Wear blue-light blockers to prep for early sleep

- No caffeine after noon

- Sunrise Walk might be your new friend

LA - Tokyo

/ NYC - Paris

Westbound Flights

- Stay up 1 hour later each night

- Get enough evening sunlight

- Use bright light

- Skip alcohol, which messes with your sleep quality

- Eat dinner later

- Exercise in the afternoon to boost energy for the post-lunch crash

London - NYC

/ Tokyo - Hawaii

🎁 Get Yourself a Fast eSIM to Travel for Seamless Internet Connection!

Fun Facts about Time Zones

fun facts about time zones

Google the world time zone map before you go on a brand-new journey. To avoid time chaos, we sliced the planet into 24 time zones. They are not just associated with your jet lag but are closely connected to your daily life.

  • If the whole world used a one-time zone, you’d see New Yorkers eat lunch at noon and Tokyo get their pizza at 2 AM.
  • China is as wide as the U.S., but it only has one time zone. In western China, the sun rises late in the morning at 10 AM in winter. But locals just set their clocks to one time, which is Beijing Time.
  • Since colonial islands are scattered worldwide, France rules 12 time zones from Tahiti to Paris.
  • Nepal is 15 minutes extra to stand out from India and China.
  • Your phone will update the time when flying across zones, but your hunger, pee schedule, and sleep rebel!
New to Trip.com? Grab 8% off your first car rental and hit the road for less - it's a way of saying welcome to Trip.com family! 😘
Car Rentals
Car Rental Promo Code - 8% Off
New User Enjoy up to 8% Off
TRIPCAR8

Other Facts that Might Affect Your Sleep

When traveling across time zones, several factors beyond jet lag can also disturb your sleep.

- Unfamiliar sleep environment

The quality of sleep depends a lot on your surroundings, such as the room temperature, the lights, different bedding, air quality, etc. They can hardly make you fall asleep!

- Physical strain from travel

The long flights leave you fatigued, making you unable to sleep well as you do at home.

- Digestive issues

Quick changes in diets may cause bloating or indigestion! Try to eat food with a light flavor.

- Anxiety or Excitement

Nervousness and excitement coming from your new trip may both easily keep you awake.

🎁 Come for Best Choices on Trip.com! | Grab a eSIM~| Book Cheapest Flights! | Find the Fabulous Hotels!

No More Worries about Being Jet-lagged!

So, talking back to jet lag, the fatigue, and the disorientation that you feel are as normal as most people do. Your body just needs days to adjust ~

Stay hydrated, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and increase daylight absorption, which all help you reset your internal clock efficiently. Beat your jet lag and enjoy your journey worldwide!

FAQs about Jet Lag

Disclaimer: This article has been provided by an individual contributor or third party platform. If there is any discrepancy regarding the copyright, please contact us directly and we will delete the content immediately.
Lily

Lily

Travel Blogger

View profile

Hey, I'm Lily from Chengdu. I'll constantly post my travel blogs here. I focus on sharing insights from living tips, transfer tricks, to how to get the best price for your international flights & hotels. You'll get the quick & valuable hints for your journey in the future. Stay tuned! Love u all!

293 articles
Travel Insights
>
how to avoid jet lag