Jet lag when flying east

After an eastward flight, local bedtime may arrive before your brain is ready for sleep. Morning may also come while your body still expects night. This can cause difficulty sleeping, early waking, daytime sleepiness, irritability and headache. The size of the adjustment depends on the time-zone change, your usual sleep pattern, the journey and how well you rest before travelling.

Before departure, gradually move bedtime and waking earlier when your schedule allows. At the destination, follow local meal and sleep times, seek morning daylight, and keep evening light subdued. Keep caffeine earlier in the day and avoid alcohol as a sleep aid. Plan demanding tasks after you have had a chance to rest, and do not drive if drowsiness is impairing your attention.

Contact a clinician if severe sleep loss, confusion, or daytime sleepiness continues despite several nights of a stable routine, or if it makes driving or work unsafe. Urgent care is appropriate for breathing difficulty, chest pain, fainting, sudden neurological symptoms or a severe new headache.

Ask how to shift your schedule before departure, whether light timing should be tailored to your itinerary, and whether any regular medicine needs special timing while travelling.