Jet Lag: What It Is, How It Affects You, and What You Can Do

When you fly across multiple time zones, your body gets stuck in the wrong schedule—that’s jet lag, a temporary sleep disorder caused by rapid travel across time zones that disrupts your internal biological clock. Also known as time zone change syndrome, it’s not just feeling tired. It’s your body screaming for sleep at noon and wide awake at 2 a.m., even when you know you need to rest.

Jet lag happens because your circadian rhythm, the 24-hour internal clock that regulates sleep, hormones, and digestion doesn’t instantly reset. Light is the main signal that tells your brain when to be awake or asleep. When you land in a new time zone, your eyes still think it’s the old time—so melatonin, the sleep hormone, gets released at the wrong hours. This messes with your digestion, focus, mood, and even your immune system. Studies show it can take about one day per time zone crossed to fully adjust. That means a 6-hour jump? You might feel off for nearly a week if you do nothing.

It’s not just travelers who deal with this. Shift workers, pilots, and people who constantly change schedules face the same issue. The real problem isn’t the flight—it’s how little most people do to prepare. Some try sleeping on the plane, others avoid caffeine, but few understand the science behind timing light exposure or when to take melatonin. Even small changes—like adjusting your bedtime a day before you fly, or getting sunlight right after landing—can cut recovery time in half.

And it’s not just about sleep. Jet lag affects your decision-making, reaction time, and even your appetite. You might crave carbs or feel nauseous because your gut clock is out of sync. That’s why athletes and business travelers who travel often use specific routines—timing meals, light exposure, and even exercise—to bounce back faster. You don’t need expensive gadgets or pills. You need to work with your body, not against it.

Below, you’ll find real guides on how to handle the side effects of travel, how medications and supplements interact with your sleep cycle, and what actually works when your body feels like it’s still on the other side of the world. No fluff. Just what helps—and what doesn’t.