What are the first signs of jet lag?

Jet lag occurs when your internal body clock is out of step with the time zone around you. You may wake earlier or later than planned, feel alert at night, become sleepy during the day, or notice poorer attention and appetite changes. The symptoms often appear after a long-distance journey crossing several time zones and ease as the body clock adjusts.

Travel stress, dehydration, alcohol, limited movement and irregular meals can make the experience harder. Jet lag is different from insomnia, although temporary difficulty sleeping can be part of it.

Use the local schedule soon after arrival: seek daylight at suitable times, keep meals aligned with local time, drink water, and keep naps brief if they make night sleep harder. A calm, dark bedroom and a consistent wake time can support adjustment. Avoid driving or safety-sensitive work if daytime sleepiness is strong.

If travel is frequent, a travel health consultation can help you plan sleep, light exposure and medicines around the itinerary. Do not take sleep medicines or melatonin without checking that they are appropriate for you.

Arrange medical advice if sleep disruption or daytime sleepiness persists after a reasonable adjustment period, repeatedly affects work or driving, or occurs without recent time-zone travel. Seek urgent help for chest pain, fainting, severe confusion, sudden weakness, or a severe unusual headache.

Ask how to shift your sleep schedule for a planned journey, whether your medicines or health conditions change the advice, and when ongoing symptoms should be assessed for insomnia or another sleep problem.