When traveling across multiple time zones, it’s essential to adjust your sleep schedule to match the local time zone by gradually shifting your sleep patterns. Jet lag is most likely when crossing three or more time zones, making a strategy like this especially valuable for people who often struggle with adapting to the time when traveling. Even on shorter trips of fewer than three time zones, some people may still struggle to adjust, though the effects are usually milder. By limiting alcohol and caffeine intake when traveling and relying on short naps of 10–20 minutes (without overdoing it), you’ll find it easier to get your body clock in line with the local time zone.
In this article
Why You Feel Tired Crossing Time Zones
Jetting halfway across the world is undoubtedly an exciting experience, but what most people forget is that it can also be physically and mentally draining. When your body is used to being awake and asleep at certain times of the day, a sudden shift in schedule can completely throw it off balance.
Think about it for a second, if you find yourself in a place where it’s bright outside when you should be sleeping and dark when you should be awake, your system is going to be all over the place. But why is that? Here’s why.
The Circadian Rhythm - How It Gets Ruined When Crossing Time Zones
Your circadian rhythm is your body’s internal system that regulates sleep. It’s the part of you that signals your brain to rest when it’s dark and to be alert when it’s bright outside. Naturally, if you’re taking an overnight flight from London to Bangkok, traveling eastward, that rhythm gets disrupted because of the six-hour time difference. So when it’s midnight in Bangkok, pitch dark outside, and everyone is winding down to sleep, you’re still wide awake, because back home in London, it’s only 6 pm, and still bright outside.
The biggest downside of having your circadian rhythm shaken up is a word no traveler likes to hear: jet lag. Jet lag is a circadian rhythm sleep–wake disorder that happens when your internal body clock is out of sync with the local time zone. A mix of unpleasant symptoms comes with jet lag, like disrupted sleep, headaches, irritability, poor concentration, and plenty more, depending on the individual.
While jet lag hits everyone differently, it often kicks in after crossing three or more time zones. Take a flight from Auckland to Doha, for example, that’s a whopping nine-hour difference. Trips like this put you at high risk of jet lag, unless you’re lucky enough to get some quality sleep on the plane.
Crossing multiple time zones disrupts your circadian rhythm, often causing jet lag symptoms like poor sleep, headaches, and irritability © Kiwi.com
The Importance of Aligning Your Sleep with Your Destination
Nobody likes arriving in a new place feeling groggy, with a pounding headache, and wanting to sleep when you shouldn’t. Instead, you want to feel refreshed and ready for whatever time of day it is, whether it’s morning, noon, or night. That’s why it’s important to adjust your sleep schedule to your destination, otherwise, you’ll fall victim to jet lag and ruin the start of your trip.
No matter when your flight lands, try to align yourself with the local time. If you arrive in the morning, push yourself to stay awake until your regular bedtime back at home. This will work in your favor to reduce the intensity of your jet lag and set you up for a much fresher start the next day.
How to Adjust Your Sleep Schedule Before Traveling
If you have a trip in the books where you’ll want to switch up your sleep schedule to arrive more energized than usual, here’s what to do.
Start Modifying Your Current Sleep Schedule Prior to Your Travel Dates
You can’t just show up at your destination and expect your sleep schedule to magically adjust. Those who struggle with jet lag need to start making changes before their travel dates. This involves assessing how much you need to shift your schedule to align with your destination, and then gradually start going to bed earlier or later accordingly. The easiest way to do it is to start with small adjustments, like waking up 30 minutes earlier and sticking to the routine. Anyone who has trouble doing this, reduce it by 15 minutes and go from there.
Don’t Sleep for Long When You Arrive
Fighting the urge to sleep will make your body crave it even more, so when it’s time to sleep at your destination, you’ll naturally fall asleep instead of staying up all night. It takes some effort, but if you resist, have a few cups of coffee and keep your mind occupied, you’ll be able to get through it in one piece.
Take a Nap, but a Short One
It might sound like I’m contradicting my last point, but naps can be game-changers when adjusting your sleep schedule. You just need to avoid nodding off for too long. A little power nap can serve as a pick-me-up when your energy is running low. If you crash for just 20 minutes instead of having a full snooze, you’ll give yourself enough energy to get through the day without throwing your schedule off course.
Monitor Your Intake
When traveling for extended periods, we tend to eat and drink more because there’s less to do, especially when flying. It’s tempting to eat tonnes of food and gulp five espressos, but this is going to mess with your sleep. Instead, focus on hydrating and light snacking with healthy food to give your body the nutrition it needs.
Get Your Body Travel-Ready!
Nobody truly understands jet lag unless they experience it regularly. The sheer exhaustion that washes over you is indescribable. But worry no more; if you follow this guide, you can get yourself travel-ready by adjusting your sleep schedule to match your destination’s time zone, regardless of where you’re going or how far you’re traveling.
Jet Lag Timing: Sleep Smart With Your Destination Time Zone
Is jet lag worse traveling east or west?
Traveling eastward is known for causing some people a harsher form of jet lag than traveling west. This is because it’s easier for most people to stay awake for extended periods than to force themselves to sleep when they’re not supposed to. To reduce the impact, try adjusting your sleep cycle in the days leading up to your flight so you’re not completely affected.
How long will it take my circadian rhythm to reset once I arrive at my destination?
It takes between a few days and a few weeks for the average person’s circadian rhythm to reset. However, it depends on how many time zones you’ve crossed and the time difference between your departure point and your destination. By following some of the strategies listed in this article, such as avoiding naps and reducing meal and caffeine intake, you’ll give yourself the best chance of resetting your circadian rhythm in a short amount of time.
Should I sleep at the same time on the plane as my destination?
Yes, if you’re trying to align your sleep schedule with your destination, it’s important to try to sleep on the plane at the time you would normally sleep there. Although many people struggle to get some rest while in the air, even a few hours can give you enough energy to get through the day when you arrive, so you can enjoy a proper night’s sleep on the ground. If you find it difficult to sleep on a plane, consider helpful tactics such as using noise-cancelling headphones or bringing a neck pillow.
Will staying awake the night before my flight help me sleep on the plane so I can adjust more easily to my destination’s time zone?
No, it’s not recommended to stay awake before your flight, as this can disrupt your sleep cycle and make jet lag even worse. Instead, try to gradually adjust your sleep schedule before you travel and aim for a good night’s rest. If your flight is very early in the morning and you don’t have much choice, focus on making yourself as comfortable as possible on the plane, for example, by upgrading your seat.
