What should you know about so jet lagged?

Feeling very jet lagged usually reflects a temporary mismatch between your body clock and the local time. Your sleep drive, alertness, appetite, and digestion may follow the time zone you left rather than the one you reached. Eastward and westward journeys can affect sleep in different ways.

Jet lag may cause difficulty sleeping at night, waking early, daytime sleepiness, fatigue, headache, poor concentration, irritability, or reduced appetite. Travel stress, dehydration, illness, and sleeping poorly before a flight can intensify the experience. Symptoms that continue well after the travel adjustment period, or that occur without recent time-zone travel, may point to another problem such as insomnia.

Use the local schedule for meals, light exposure, activity, and bedtime as soon as practical. Seek daylight during the part of the day when you want to become more alert, keep naps short, and avoid driving when sleepy. Drink fluids and limit alcohol near bedtime. If you are considering melatonin or a sleeping medicine, ask a clinician or pharmacist about timing, interactions, and whether it suits you.

Get medical advice if severe sleepiness makes work, driving, or basic tasks unsafe, or if symptoms are not settling after your travel recovery. Seek urgent care for chest pain, fainting, severe shortness of breath, sudden weakness, or a severe unusual headache. A travel consultation can also help if you have a complex medical condition or frequent long-distance travel.

How should I shift my sleep and light exposure for this journey? Is a sleep aid appropriate with my current medicines? Could another condition be causing my ongoing tiredness or poor sleep? What precautions should I take before my next flight?