1. Adjust Your Sleep Pattern Before Traveling
Adjusting your sleep pattern before your trip can help you overcome jet lag more quickly. If you're flying east, try going to bed and waking up 2–3 days earlier than usual. If you're flying west, delay your bedtime and wake-up time by a few days before the trip. To stay alert during the flight, setting your watch to the local time or sucking on lemon slices are effective strategies.
2. Fasting
The human body has many biological clocks, but when it comes to jet lag, they are primarily reset by two factors: food and light. A 2008 Harvard study on jet lag found that not eating for 12 or 16 hours before arriving at your destination can reset your internal clock. If you arrive before lunch, eating protein-rich foods can help you stay awake all day. If you arrive after lunch, eat something at 4 PM and then avoid food until breakfast the next day.
3. Take Pycnogenol
Italian researchers say jet lag refers to mild bodily swelling and brain edema exacerbated by flying, while the misalignment between body and biological clock leads to fatigue and headaches. Pycnogenol, an extract from pine bark, has been found to improve cerebral blood circulation and reduce jet lag symptoms by 50%. “Start taking 50 mg of pycnogenol three times a day, two days before your trip and continue for a week to alleviate jet lag symptoms,” says an Italian cardiovascular doctor.
4. Adjust Light Exposure
A clinical trial analysis by a pharmacology doctor at Oxford University suggests that the human biological clock is highly sensitive to light stimuli. If you’re traveling west, it’s recommended to visit museums in the morning and parks in the afternoon. If you’re traveling east, do the opposite. Researchers at the University of Michigan have developed a smartphone app called “Free Ride,” which helps people adjust the timing and frequency of light exposure to speed up biological clock adjustment. This app has become quite popular among travelers.
5. Ensure Sleep on the First Night
After arriving at your destination, make sure you get at least four hours of sleep on the first night, as this will affect your rhythm in the days to come.
6. Wear RE-TIMER Glasses
These glasses, developed by researchers at Flinders University in Australia, feature built-in small green LEDs—the most effective color for delaying or advancing the biological clock. They help suppress melatonin production, making it easier for you to transition into a new time zone. Additionally, these glasses need to be worn for 30 to 60 minutes daily to be effective.
7. Choose the Right Flight
The latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Airbus A380 flights come with features designed to reduce jet lag. These planes fly at optimal altitudes to increase oxygen and humidity levels in the cabin, thereby alleviating symptoms like headaches and fatigue caused by jet lag.
8. Choose a Destination Suited to Your Biological Clock
If you’re more energetic in the morning, you’re better suited to an early-to-bed, early-to-rise lifestyle and may prefer traveling east. Night owls who want more evening activity time might choose to travel west. If you’re flying to Europe, remember to bring your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which entitles you to low-cost or even free medical services.