What should you know about jet lag headache?

Crossing time zones can disturb sleep and meals, while a flight may add dry air, missed fluids, neck tension and prolonged screen use. A headache that starts after landing may therefore have several possible contributors. Jet lag can coexist with a common cold, allergic rhinitis, sinus disease, heat exhaustion or another condition, so the full pattern matters. Fever, congestion, cough, diarrhoea, unusual thirst or marked anxiety point toward causes that need separate consideration.

Rest your eyes, loosen tense neck and shoulder muscles, drink fluids regularly and eat a light meal if you have skipped food. Keep a steady local sleep schedule and avoid using alcohol to force sleep. A familiar over-the-counter pain medicine may help some people, but follow the label and check with a pharmacist if you have kidney disease, stomach ulcers, liver disease, are pregnant or take blood thinners. Do not combine products that contain the same pain-relieving ingredient.

Get urgent care for a sudden explosive headache, headache with weakness, confusion, fainting, seizure, stiff neck, vision loss, trouble speaking, chest pain or severe breathing difficulty. Arrange prompt assessment when headache follows a head injury, comes with high fever or repeated vomiting, or keeps worsening despite rest and fluids. Travel-related headache with severe dehydration or heat symptoms also needs medical attention.

Tell your clinician when the headache began, where it is located, what it feels like, what you drank and took during travel, and whether sleep loss, fever, congestion or neurological symptoms accompanied it.