Jet Lag Survival Guide 2024: Why Proper Sleep Matters During Travel

Travel is exhilarating, but it can throw your sleep schedule into disarray. Whether you're flying for business or pleasure, adjusting to new time zones can be draining. This guide provides evidence-based tips for better sleep on both short and long flights. With advice from The Sleep Project's experts, arrive refreshed and ready for your day.

Nap or Relaxation on a Short Flight?

Short flights (except when travelling with little ones) offer a great opportunity for some well-deserved rest and relaxation. Scientific evidence suggests that napping can enhance memory and cognitive performance. Should you choose to indulge in a nap, keep it short, less than 20 minutes and complete it no later than 3 pm. This will help you feel rejuvenated without that sluggish, groggy sensation. Finishing your nap earlier in the day also minimises the risk of it affecting your ability to fall asleep later that night. If napping is not your cup of tea, try some deep relaxation. As little as 5 minutes of relaxation or focused breathwork has been shown to reduce anxiety, improve mood and improve sleep quality.

Understanding Circadian Rhythms and Time Zones

Inside each cell in your body is an internal clock that keeps you in sync with the day and night. The ebb and flow of this internal clock is called your circadian rhythm. It’s mainly influenced by three things: light levels, movement and eating. Using these external factors our body ensures we work in perfect harmony with our sleep-wake pattern. When we travel long-haul we mess with this perfectly designed system and our bodies take a while to catch up, leaving us feeling groggy, emotional and washed out.  If you are travelling across the globe it can be a challenge to adjust to your new time zone and to function at your peak. But by manipulating these three factors we can help our bodies adjust faster and feel our best.

Circadian rhythms can shift with jet lag, but the speed of the shift depends on the direction of travel. After westward travel, the circadian clock phase delays at a rate of around 90 minutes per day, while after eastward travel, it advances at a rate of around 60 minutes per day. This slower response of your circadian rhythm is the reason why travelling eastwards is generally more difficult.

Without any interventions, the symptoms of jet lag usually settle down in approximately 7-10 days as the circadian rhythm re-entrains to the new sleep/wake schedule. But, there are things you can do to help your body to adjust quicker. Exposure to bright light, low-dose melatonin, and following a set sleep/wake routine can all help you adjust to the new time zone quicker. Mathematical models have also been used to create ways to quickly shift your body clock to the new schedule, which can help you perform better mentally and physically. Additionally, being exposed to light at the right times, avoiding light at other times, and using artificial light with certain wavelengths can all speed up the adjustment process. 

It's a good idea to start preparing a few days earlier if you’re embarking on a journey across multiple time zones since this will help your body clock adjust more quickly when you reach your destination. We would suggest starting to shift your usual routine 3 days before you fly. If you’re flying west, shift your whole routine half an hour earlier each day until your departure. Conversely, if you’re flying eastwards then push your routine back by half an hour each day. Once you’re on the plane, set your watch to the destination time zone and adjust your meals and behaviours accordingly.

Tricks for Overnight Flights
 

Remember when shifting your body clock, it is important to always focus on your destination timings rather than your current time zone. If your flight takes place during your destination’s nighttime you should:

• Avoid meals (except very light snacks if needed)

• Limit movement by sitting still or resting, but don’t forget compression socks to avoid DVTs (clots in the legs)

• Wear an eye mask to block out light wherever possible 

While it may be tempting to binge on films during a long-haul night flight, where possible aim to relax and sleep instead. Wearing a beanie hat or ‘bed socks’ can help drop your central body temperature by allowing warm blood to be diverted to your head and feet; this drop in core body temperature is one of the triggers needed for the onset of sleep. 

How to Cope with Daytime Long-Haul Flights

If you’re flying during your destination’s daytime, try to stay awake during your flight if you can. If you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open then you can take a nap, but try and keep it to a brief one by setting an alarm. Eat according to your destination’s meal times, and get up out of your seat to move around as much as possible. Simple walking or stretching sends a signal to your brain that this is a time you should be awake, and this helps reset your body clock. 

Alcohol and Sleep: A Cautionary Note

Even though those mini bottles of alcohol on planes may seem tempting, alcohol can really mess up your sleep. While alcohol might help you drift off to sleep, it makes your sleep quality much worse and it disrupts important dream sleep. If you want a drink, it's best to avoid alcohol for at least 6 hours before you plan to sleep. 

Melatonin: Your Secret Weapon Against Jet Lag?

Melatonin is a naturally-occurring hormone that helps regulate our body's internal clock. Under normal circumstances, it is produced by our brain when darkness falls, and it helps to facilitate the onset of sleep. When travelling across time zones the release of our natural melatonin is disrupted, so taking a melatonin supplement at very specific times can help our internal clock to adjust to the new time zone more quickly. 

A doctor can prescribe melatonin supplements, or you can buy them over the counter in many countries. When flying west, for example from the UK to New York, waking very early in the morning can be a real problem until your circadian rhythm adjusts. By taking a melatonin supplement on waking, you can help shift your body clock later, and this can also sometimes help you drift back to sleep. Conversely, if you're flying eastwards, say from the UK to Bangkok, taking melatonin 30-60 minutes before your destination's bedtime helps you adjust your internal clock earlier and fall asleep at a more suitable time.

Note: Make sure you buy high-quality, short-acting melatonin and always consult a doctor before using it.

Noise Solutions for Disturbed Sleep

To cut down noise, you have a few options. Ear plugs are an affordable and effective choice, or, for a high-tech solution, you could use noise-cancelling headphones. Listening to white or pink noise can help drown out external sound making it easier for you to fall asleep and enjoy better sleep quality. 

What to Pack? Your Long-Haul Flight Survival Kit

When you’re gearing up for a long flight, consider packing these essentials. It's your toolkit for shifting your body clock:

• A wrist watch
• A beanie hat to keep you
• Bed socks and/or compression stockings
• A comfortable eye mask
• Earplugs or noise-cancelling headphones
• Healthy snacks
• A large water bottle
• Melatonin, after a medical consultation

Elevate your Sleep Game

If you're eager to take your sleep quality to the next level, we offer a variety of sleep tips, online sleep therapies, and free resources designed to help you get the rest you need. For personalised advice tailored to your unique situation, you can also book a consultation with one of our sleep experts. Start your journey to better sleep today!

Useful Links

Pink Noise - YouTube

Guided Breath Work - YouTube

Our Favourite Products 

There is no affiliation or sponsorship involved here, we just like these products!

Ear Plugs: Amazon

Travel Pillow: Amazon

Eye mask: Amazon

Headphones – the choice between in-ear and over-ear is personal and highly dependent on preference and comfort:

• Over-ear: Amazon: Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise Cancelling Wireless Headphones

• In-ear: Amazon: Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

References

• Kakeru, Ito., Miho, Yasuda., Yuki, Maeda., Jean-Michel, Fustin., Yoshiaki, Yamaguchi., Yuka, Kono., Hiromitsu, Negoro., Akihiro, Kanematsu., Osamu, Ogawa., Masao, Doi., Hitoshi, Okamura. (2018). Circadian rhythms of micturition during jet lag.. Biomedical Research-tokyo,  doi: 10.2220/BIOMEDRES.39.57

•  Josephine, Arendt. (2009). Managing jet lag: Some of the problems and possible new solutions. Sleep Medicine Reviews,  doi: 10.1016/J.SMRV.2008.07.011

• Dennis, A., Dean., Daniel, B., Forger., Elizabeth, B., Klerman., Elizabeth, B., Klerman. (2009). Taking the lag out of jet lag through model-based schedule design.. PLOS Computational Biology,  doi: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PCBI.1000418