Jet lag prevention: how to prepare for travel

Jet lag happens when the body clock and the local clock disagree. The size and direction of the time-zone change, your sleep pattern, the timing of light and the demands of the trip all influence symptoms. Eastward journeys usually require an earlier schedule; westward journeys require a later one. Prevention cannot remove every effect of travel, but it can reduce the shock of changing sleep and waking times.

In the days before flying, move bedtime and waking time toward the destination when your schedule allows. Sleep well before the trip, use the destination time for meals soon after boarding, and avoid heavy alcohol use. On arrival, get daylight at a suitable local time, keep naps brief and early, drink water, and use local bedtime even if you are not yet sleepy. Keep exercise light until you feel alert. A travel-health consultation may help if you cross several time zones, work at night or take regular medicines.

Ask for medical advice before travel if you have a sleep disorder, bipolar symptoms, significant anxiety, pregnancy, or medicines that require precise timing. After arrival, seek care for severe confusion, fainting, chest pain, breathing difficulty, inability to stay awake safely or thoughts of self-harm. Persistent sleep disruption also warrants assessment.

Ask when to shift your schedule, how to use daylight, and whether any medicine or supplement is safe for you. Confirm how travel affects the timing of your regular prescriptions.