Jet lag is the feeling of tiredness and confusion that can happen after you’ve been on a long-haul flight. It’s common, and affects millions of people worldwide every year.
Jet lag is the feeling of tiredness and confusion that can happen after you’ve been on a long-haul flight. It’s common, and affects millions of people worldwide every year.
It happens when your body finds it difficult to adjust to the time zone of the country you’ve flown to. The more time zones you cross during your flight, the more likely you are to get it.
Because it can affect how well you sleep and how you feel, jet lag can be frustrating, both when you’re travelling and when you get home. But the good news is, it usually only lasts a few days, and can be managed with self-care and a bit of preparation.
We don’t want jet lag to get in the way of your time away, or affect your life when you get back. So here’s what you need to know, including what you can do to reduce the impact of some of the symptoms, and when to see a doctor.
You have an internal 24-hour clock, called your ‘circadian rhythm’, which regulates how your body works. It helps to control your sleep-wake pattern, which is normally aligned with daylight – so you feel awake during the day and sleepy when it’s dark.
But jet lag can happen if your internal body clock doesn’t match the 24-hour cycle of day and night at your travel destination. This can happen when you fly to a part of the world that has a different time zone from where you started – and particularly if you cross more than 1 time zone.
Find useful information on other areas of sleep with our .
Although anyone who rapidly crosses time zones can get jet lag, it’s possible that 1 in 3 people don’t get it.
The main symptoms of jet lag are:
In some cases, other jet lag symptoms can include feeling sick (
), , changes in appetite, or .Unlike travel tiredness (fatigue), which is common after a trip and usually goes away after a good night’s sleep, jet lag symptoms can last until your body clock becomes aligned to the cycle of day and night at your destination.
Key things to know about how long jet lag lasts:
There are a number of things that can make jet lag more likely or more severe, including:
Before your flight:
During your flight:
On arrival:
General tips to help you sleep better:
Read more about how to get
.Your pharmacist can recommend ear plugs and sleep masks for your flight. They may also discuss whether a sedating
could be helpful for you – although these have possible side effects and aren’t usually recommended.In some countries, you can buy
supplements for jet lag from a pharmacy. Melatonin is a hormone your body makes to help control your sleep patterns. However, there’s limited evidence that melatonin supplements can reduce the effects of jet lag.In the UK, melatonin for jet lag is only available on prescription, and isn’t usually recommended because it isn’t clear that it’s effective. In most cases, jet lag medication isn’t necessary – your body will adapt quickly, and the tips above should also help.
Jet lag is a temporary condition, which goes away within a few days or weeks.
But if you fly a lot and find you’re often struggling with jet lag or extreme tiredness, it’s a good idea to see your doctor. If needed, they may be able to refer you to a sleep specialist.
If you’re not sure whether you need to see a doctor, try our
to work out what your next step should be.Jet lag is usually simple to diagnose by you or your doctor, without the need for any tests.
For a doctor to make the diagnosis, you must have travelled across at least 2 time zones, and have either daytime sleepiness or trouble sleeping (
). If you’ve travelled west, you’re likely to have difficulty staying asleep, while if you’ve travelled east you’re likely to have difficulty falling asleep.If your sleep problems include snoring and daytime sleepiness, your doctor may recommend some tests to check if you have a condition called
. Read more about .Jet lag isn’t permanent, and any symptoms can usually be managed without medical treatment.
(hypnotics) aren’t routinely prescribed, but may be helpful if you have short-term insomnia caused by jet lag. A type of sleeping pill known as a ‘Z drug’ has been shown to improve sleep in some travellers, if taken for the first 3 nights after flying.However, they can be addictive and have other side effects, so they’re not routinely recommended. They should only be used for a very short time if your symptoms are severe, after discussion with your doctor. And although they may help you fall asleep or stay asleep, they don’t help to readjust your body clock.
Answered by:
“It’s common to have a fear of flying or feel anxious when flying. Non-medical treatments include
and , while several airlines run ‘fear of flying’ courses, which some people find helpful. But medication may be needed if your anxiety is very severe. Taking low-dose before flying can be very effective, and won’t cause problems with jet lag or performance after your flight.”Important: Our website provides useful information but is not a substitute for medical advice. You should always seek the advice of your doctor when making decisions about your health.