Jet lag: effective remedies to recover quickly

Before departure: get ahead of your biological clock

In the days before your flight, gradually shift your meal and sleep schedules by 30-60 minutes per day toward your destination time zone: even partial adjustment reduces the shock of changing time zones. If flying east, move your wake time earlier; if flying west, move it later.

During the flight: hydration, alcohol, and short naps

On board, avoid excess alcohol and caffeine, which dehydrate and further disrupt your sleep-wake cycle: it's better to drink water regularly. Setting your watch to the destination time zone as soon as you board helps mentally prepare you for adjustment. Short naps can help you get through the day, but keep them limited to 20-30 minutes: beyond this window, you risk falling into deep sleep and compromising your nighttime sleep afterward.

In the first hours at your destination: natural light as a reset tool

Once you land, expose yourself to natural light as soon as possible — the most powerful signal for resetting your biological clock: morning light if you need to advance your rhythm (eastbound flights), late afternoon light if you need to delay it (westbound flights).

Melatonin: when it can help

Melatonin can promote sleep in the first days of adjustment, but should only be taken on medical advice and at specific times relative to your destination time zone: taken at the wrong time of day, it risks further disrupting your circadian rhythm instead of correcting it.

If your flight crosses more than six time zones, focus on a single strategy — exposure to light at the right time of day — instead of trying to apply them all at once: consistency with this one factor in the first two days makes the biggest difference.