Jet lag ruining your sleep? How to settle into the new time zone
You land after a long flight, and by evening you are exhausted. Then you wake at 3am wide awake, or you cannot drop off until dawn. Jet lag happens because your body clock is still on the time you left behind. With a few simple steps you can help it catch up faster and sleep better while it does.
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What jet lag does to your sleep
Your body clock runs on a roughly 24 hour cycle set by daylight. When you cross several time zones quickly, it stays on home time for a while. So you feel sleepy in the afternoon, alert at bedtime, and wake in the middle of the night ready for the day.
It is usually harder after flying east, because you have to go to bed earlier than your body wants. It tends to be worse the more time zones you cross, and it can take a few days to settle.
What makes it worse
Common things that make jet lag harder include:
- Losing sleep before the trip, from packing, early flights or nerves
- Long naps on arrival that eat into night-time sleep
- Lots of alcohol or caffeine on the flight
- Staying indoors in the new place, so your body gets no daylight signal
- Worrying about how tired you will be for meetings or the holiday
Before and during the flight
Go into the trip well rested if you can. For a long trip, shifting your bedtime an hour or so towards the new time zone for a few nights before can help. On the plane, set your watch to the new time and try to sleep or stay awake to match it. Drink water, and keep alcohol and caffeine low.
Bring an eye mask, earplugs or headphones and a familiar recording to help you rest on board. Even light rest is better than none.
When you arrive
Get outside in daylight as soon as you can, ideally in the morning in the new time zone. Eat meals at local times. If you must nap, keep it short, around 20 minutes, and early in the afternoon.
At night, keep the room dark, cool and quiet, and follow your usual wind-down so your body gets the same signals as at home. If you wake at 3am, keep the lights low, avoid your phone and rest with your eyes closed. If you are wide awake after what feels like 20 minutes, get up and do something calm until you feel sleepy.
When to see a GP
Jet lag usually eases on its own within a few days. See your GP if you travel often and your sleep never seems to recover, or if poor sleep carries on for weeks after you get home. Talk to a doctor or pharmacist before taking anything to help you sleep, especially if you take other medicines.
If you dread the first nights away
If you worry before every trip about how badly you will sleep, that is very common, and the worry itself often makes the first nights harder.
What helps is having a familiar signal for sleep that travels with you. With hypnosis we help your body relax on cue, whatever the clock says, and listening to the same session at bedtime gives you that steady signal in a new place. Many people find they settle faster and enjoy the trip more.
I am Adam Cox, a clinical hypnotherapist with 17 years in practice and post-graduate qualifications in clinical hypnotherapy. Sleep sessions are among the most listened to on my podcast, The Hypnotist, which has been downloaded more than 20 million times.
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Recorded sessions from my store. Download once, keep them, and play them in bed with your phone on night mode.
Questions people ask
How long does jet lag last?
It usually settles within a few days. It tends to last longer the more time zones you cross and is often harder after flying east.
How do I get over jet lag fast?
Get daylight in the morning in the new time zone, eat meals at local times, keep naps short and early, and follow your usual wind-down at the new bedtime.
Why do I wake at 3am with jet lag?
Your body clock is still on home time, so it may think it is morning. Keep lights low, avoid your phone and rest. If you are wide awake after about 20 minutes, get up for a while and try again when sleepy.
Should I sleep on the plane?
Try to sleep or stay awake to match the time at your destination. Set your watch to the new time, keep alcohol and caffeine low and drink water.
Can hypnosis help with jet lag?
Hypnosis is designed to help you relax and fall asleep on cue. Many people find a familiar session helps them settle in a new place and time zone, although results vary.
Could hypnosis help your sleep?
Take my free sleep hypnosis suitability test. Tell me what keeps you awake, try two quick hypnosis experiments and get an honest answer, with your next step.
Want help to sleep well wherever you are?
If recordings are not enough on their own, we can work on it together. Start with a £49 consultation call over Zoom. We talk through what happens at night and whether hypnotherapy is right for you, and the fee comes off your first session. If poor sleep has lasted 3 months or more, please see your GP too.
Further reading: NHS: Jet lag · NHS: Insomnia · NHS Every Mind Matters: Sleep