Jet lag isn’t just about feeling tired – it’s your internal rhythms falling out of step with the world around you. While your flight crosses time zones in hours, your circadian system takes longer to adjust, guided by cues like light, meals and temperature. The result? Disrupted sleep, cravings at odd hours, and energy peaks when you need rest. Fortunately, a few carefully timed interventions can help your body reset faster. Here’s what makes the biggest difference…

Understand the clock you travel with
Your circadian rhythm is governed by the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), a tiny cluster of cells in the brain that acts as your internal timekeeper. It orchestrates the release of cortisol and melatonin, regulates digestion, coordinates body temperature and controls cognitive alertness. When you fly across time zones, the SCN doesn’t update instantly. It continues operating on the schedule you left behind, which is why you may feel wide awake long after bedtime or desperately tired in the middle of the afternoon. This internal lag is also why jet lag can affect mood, appetite and concentration. Your internal clock is essentially running yesterday’s programme in today’s environment.

Let light lead the way
Light is your strongest circadian cue. Morning light suppresses melatonin and boosts cortisol, telling your body it’s time to start the day. But when you land somewhere new, your SCN still anticipates light according to your previous location. Until the two match, your sleep–wake cycle will feel out of sync. This explains the classic jet lag pattern: wide awake at local midnight, foggy at breakfast, suddenly alert mid-afternoon. Light isn’t just helpful – it’s the main tool your brain uses to understand where in the world it is.

Expect sleep to feel different
Jet lag doesn’t just change when you sleep – it changes how you sleep. Studies show it temporarily reduces slow-wave sleep, shortens REM and increases nighttime awakenings. Even if you manage eight hours, it rarely feels refreshing. Travel has also been shown to increase inflammatory markers, contributing to that dull, heavy, feeling you can’t fully shake after a long flight.

Notice your hormones working overtime
When your circadian rhythm is disrupted, your hormones follow. Cortisol may peak at the wrong time, melatonin may release too late or too early, and hunger hormones shift unpredictably, causing cravings or loss of appetite at unusual times. Your body is simply trying to stabilise itself in unfamiliar cues.

Seek out morning light
Morning light in your new time zone is the fastest natural jet lag antidote. Get outside within one to two hours of waking, let natural light hit your eyes (without sunglasses if possible), and stay out for 10–20 minutes. This single cue can shift your clock by hours.

Align meals with local time
Your gut runs on its own rhythm, and mealtimes are powerful anchors. Eating at local meal times – even a small snack – helps realign digestion, hunger hormones and metabolic rhythms far faster than sleep cues alone.

Get moving
A short walk, gentle stretching or a quick blast of fresh air raises cortisol appropriately, blows away grogginess and nudges your body into the new daytime. Think of movement as a biological reset button.

Be selective with caffeine
Reserve caffeine for the first half of the local day only. Late-afternoon or evening caffeine delays melatonin release and prolongs jet lag, even if you feel tired.

Start the shift early
If you’re crossing multiple time zones, nudge your sleep–wake rhythm 30–60 minutes earlier or later (depending on your direction of travel) for two to three days beforehand. Even tiny adjustments dramatically reduce the shock.

Create the right conditions for sleep
Dim lighting, a cool room (ideally 16–19°C) and minimal screens help melatonin rise at the right time. These environmental cues are among the fastest ways to nudge your body toward local night.

Hydrate consistently
Stay hydrated throughout your flight and avoid heavy, salty or sugary meals. Dehydration and inflammation amplify circadian disruption and make sleep feel more fragmented.