What should you know about avoiding jet lag east to west?

Keep naps brief, eat according to local time and avoid using alcohol as a sleep aid. These measures can reduce disruption, although some tiredness or poor concentration may still occur while your internal clock catches up.

Flying west makes the local day feel longer. Your internal clock may signal sleep and wakefulness earlier than the destination schedule, leading to early waking, evening sleepiness, reduced alertness or headache. Light is the strongest timing cue: evening light generally encourages a later body-clock schedule, while bright light very early in the local morning can pull it earlier.

The adjustment can feel harder when the trip involves several time zones, overnight travel, irregular meals or accumulated sleep loss.

If your schedule allows, move bedtime and waking a little later during the days before departure. Start following the destination clock during the flight, drink water regularly and limit excess caffeine, especially near the planned local bedtime. Once you arrive, spend time outdoors in the late afternoon or early evening and keep the room dark and quiet at night.

Schedule demanding driving or work for when you expect to be most alert. If you are considering melatonin or another sleep product, check the timing, dose and possible interactions with a clinician or pharmacist; taking it at the wrong time can shift the body clock in an unhelpful direction.

Arrange medical advice if sleep disruption remains troublesome after you have had time to settle into the destination, repeatedly affects work or safety, or continues after returning home. Seek urgent help for severe confusion, fainting, a sudden severe headache, chest pain or breathing difficulty. Do not drive if sleepiness makes it hard to stay focused or keep your eyes open.

Ask how to time light exposure for your exact route and arrival time, whether a sleep aid is appropriate with your medicines or health conditions, and how to manage treatment schedules that depend on clock time. A travel consultation can also help if shift work, insomnia or a previous difficult trip may complicate adjustment.