How to beat jet lag on long-haul trips
Simple, practical steps to arrive ready to enjoy your stay.
Why it happens
Your body clock is set by light. Crossing many time zones quickly leaves it out of step with local time, causing tiredness, poor sleep and low appetite.
Before you fly
- Shift your sleep an hour a day towards your destination for a few days.
- Choose flights that arrive in the late afternoon or evening when possible.
On arrival
- Get outdoors in daylight; morning light when flying east, evening light when flying west.
- Eat on local time from the first meal.
- Keep naps under 30 minutes.
- Avoid caffeine after early afternoon.
Use our planner
Our jet lag planner on the atlas home page shows the time difference to each hotel and suggests a plan for your direction of travel.