What should you know about getting jet lag?

Your internal body clock helps time sleep, alertness, digestion, and hormone activity. Crossing time zones changes the local light-dark schedule before that clock has adjusted. You may develop difficulty sleeping at the local bedtime, wake earlier than planned, feel sleepy during the day, or have a headache, poor concentration, or low energy. Travel stress, dehydration, alcohol, illness, and a demanding schedule can make the transition harder. Eastward and westward travel can feel different because the body may need to advance or delay its usual sleep timing.

Use the destination’s meal and sleep schedule soon after arrival, seek natural daylight during the local daytime, and keep evenings dim and calm. Prioritise a comfortable sleep environment, regular meals, fluids, and gentle activity. Avoid driving or safety-sensitive work when very sleepy. Limit alcohol, and use caffeine thoughtfully rather than late in the local day. A Travel Health Consultation can help with timing, medicines, existing sleep problems, and special circumstances. Insomnia Management strategies may help if sleep remains difficult.

Contact a clinician if sleep disruption or daytime sleepiness continues after your body has had time to adjust, repeatedly affects work or driving, or occurs without recent travel. Seek urgent help for confusion, fainting, severe headache with neurological changes, chest pain, or breathing difficulty. Persistent symptoms may reflect insomnia, a medicine effect, mood changes, or another sleep or medical condition.

Ask how to time light exposure, sleep, caffeine, or any medicine around your itinerary, and whether an existing sleep condition changes the plan. Share your departure and arrival times, direction of travel, symptoms, and usual sleep pattern.