12 Ways to Beat Jet Lag (And the One This Travel Editor Swears By)

As a travel editor, I get a lot of questions about jet lag. How to avoid it, how to get over it, is the jet lag really worth it for a short trip — the list goes on. I’ve told people the same thing for years: just adopt the time zone that you land in and fight through the initial discomfort. I’m usually met with a response like, “Sure, that works for you, but I could never,” or a head nod with body language that clearly suggests they’ll be doing their own research.

My mom was the first to put that little nugget of travel wisdom into my travel routine. We flew from our home in California to Europe for two weeks, and my teenage mind couldn’t comprehend that my aversion to sleep was actually the right approach as I unpacked in a cheap Paris hotel with walls best described as spongy but not intrusively moldy. The jet lag hack worked well enough. Over the next decade and a half, I built a career that required me to travel to far-flung places at least once a month. And I lived, and still live, by that original advice.

In some circles, this is referred to as “clock blocking.” Meaning you set your watch (at least mentally) to the time zone you’re going to be in as soon as you get on the plane and live as if you’re in that time zone regardless of what’s going on around you. No prep, no expensive remedy, just some good old fashioned will power to get through it and not think about what time it is back home.

Am I often tired? Absolutely. But if you don’t do anything to make you tired, you’re not going to sleep well. I have yet to find another way to adjust as fast as adopting wherever the sun is when I land. Yet. My travel style has changed quite a bit since that first international trip — two kids in three years will do that. Toddlers don’t care one bit about what time the clock says or even all that much when the sun goes down, as I’ve learned in Japan, Türkiye, and just going to the East Coast from Denver.

I still stand by fighting through the tired and forcing myself to live in the time I land in. But in the interest of keeping options open, these 12 other ways to overcome jet lag could be your ticket to no wasted days no matter how far you go.

Adjust your schedule over time before you leave

This one takes commitment — and a very flexible schedule before your trip even starts. It involves adjusting when you go to bed (and when you eat your meals for the truly dedicated) in 30-minute increments each day until you’re on the normal sleep hours of where you’re going. The Mayo Clinic suggests going to bed a full hour closer to your target time if possible, though the 30-minute recommendation seems more reasonable. Melatonin might help.

If you’re flying from Los Angeles to New York City, for example, start going to bed 30 minutes earlier each day for six days leading up to your flight. That’s if you’re going east. For flights west, go to bed 30 minutes later each day. If math isn’t your strong suit, a tool like Jet Lag Rooster can break out the timing for you. Bigger time changes require a bigger commitment, so this might be better for cross-country flights if those couple of hours really trip you up.

Coming home? Well, you could change your travel days to be back on your normal schedule when you get back, but more than likely you’re on your own.

Manage your light exposure

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The body’s circadian rhythm, the internal clock that regulates physiological responses like sleep, can be tricked by a simple light exposure adjustment. Light therapy is theoretically easy to do: avoid bright light when there won’t be bright light in your destination. It’s similar to the earlier bedtime hack, but doesn’t require a full sleep schedule shift. Researchers at Rush University in Chicago published a study that found bright light can cause predictable responses in your body. Simply expose yourself to bright light when you need to be awake in your destination, and stay in dark or dim light when you need to be asleep. Avoid the early morning light when going east and get your first dose of sun midday, for example. You don’t need any fancy equipment, but the options are seemingly endless if you want to dip your toes into that. There’s even a gadget out there that shines light into your ear canals.

What you do when you arrive is just as important. It might be the only thing you have time for, but all is not lost. If it’s sunny out when you arrive, simply go outside for a walk so your body can start to adjust. If it’s night, wear dark glasses and a sleep mask in transit. Light therapy devices as simple as a sunrise alarm clock can help control your light exposure if you want to be more precise.

Melatonin

You’ve most likely heard all about melatonin if you’ve ever been remotely interested in controlling your sleep. Researchers have known melatonin’s sleep-inducing effects since the 1960s when scientists were injecting 200 milligrams straight into test subjects’ veins. It now comes in mass-market, over-the-counter pill form sold at just about every drug store and supermarket you can think of. You also don’t need the massive quantities used in those early studies — one study found as little as 4 milligrams per day is effective after a few days, and taking more just makes you feel more groggy.

Since your body naturally makes melatonin, it’s a more natural way to get your sleep from a pill than a prescription sleeping pill or sedative. Melatonin has shown to be effective even when switching five or more time zones.

Using melatonin for jet lag is similar to natural sleep and light exposure, but with a little extra help. You’ll still need to set aside about a week for the adjustment for the best results, however. You can also use a low dose of melatonin at bedtime when you arrive to nudge your body closer to realizing it’s time to sleep.

Stay hydrated

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Sure, this is generally helpful life advice whether you’re traveling or not. And staying hydrated technically won’t do anything for your circadian rhythm. It will make you feel better — and make it easier to adopt your new time zone as soon as you get off the plane. (Drinking plenty of water on a flight has its own benefits outside of overcoming jet lag.)

General guidance also cautions against alcohol and caffeine, which can both mess with your sleep and make you even more dehydrated. I love an airport bar and in-flight wine with dinner, however, so I usually go the route of hydrating a little more after a drink.

Fasting

Your gut controls a lot more than you’re probably giving it credit for. According to one approach developed with the United States military and intelligence forces in mind, controlling diet can also control jet lag. The Argonne Diet developed by Dr. Charles Ehret at Argonne National Laboratory was tested in a study published in Military Medicine in 2002 and follows a feast-fast plan.

Start four days prior to travel. Alternate days between eating as you normally would with a slight adjustment to a high protein breakfast and lunch paired with a carbohydrate-rich dinner, and days where you eat mostly fruits and vegetables for a total under 800 calories. Caffeine is only allowed on feast days between 3 and 5 PM. The final fast should end with breakfast time at your destination, which must be protein-rich. Or, go the less planned route and fast for 12 to 16 hours before breakfast time at your destination and start from there.

Eating kickstarts your circadian rhythm, the thinking goes, and can have a similar effect as changing your sleep schedule ahead of time.

Get active

Light exercise can be an ally in fighting jet lag, according to the Mayo Clinic. Get out for a walk as soon as feasible at your destination. Jet lag aside, this is also a great way to orient yourself and start to get familiar with a new place. In the daytime, you’re getting that circadian-setting sunlight, and in the afternoon or early evening it helps to push you through until bedtime.

Just avoid heavy exercise and go for a walk, light jog, or bike ride — studies suggest avoiding heavy exercise an hour or so before you’re trying to sleep. Nix this plan if you arrive late, of course, and get the exercise in the morning to feel more on schedule.

Nap, but at the right times

Jet lag often leaves you tired at odd hours. Managing sleep in the first days is crucial. Long daytime naps when you arrive can be a problem, but a power nap for 15 to 20 minutes can give you a refresh (if you’re able to avoid the temptation of the snooze button), according to the Centers for Disease Control. Additionally, don’t nap too late in the day. That could throw off subsequent days as well as keep you up a little longer than you anticipate.

Grounding, earthing, and putting bare feet on bare earth

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You probably fell into one of two camps the second you read “grounding, earthing, and putting bare feet on bare earth.” There are people who think it’s all woo-woo, and those who swear that connecting with the earth this way is the key to happiness. But even the latter camp has to admit that even if it’s all in your head, placebos can have an effect.

The name here is pretty self explanatory, particularly if you’re familiar with the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and others in her sphere of influence. Earthing is centered on the idea that when people stand on the earth with nothing in between — no shoes, no socks, no sidewalks — we absorb electrons and stabilize our bodies. Touch grass, in the most literal sense. There’s no serious science to back this up, but then again, you’re also getting sunlight and relaxation when strolling barefoot in a new locale, so there’s that.

Aromatherapy

Taking a big whiff of the right smells might not “cure” jet lag, but it can help reset your mood. Terpenes from certain plants used in essential oils can have invigorating or calming effects. The citrus terpene limonene and the mint terpene menthol, for example, can be stimulating, while linalool (the most prominent terpene in lavender) is known to be a relaxing sleep aid. Terpenes have been a big area of research in recent years for how they can impact physiological functions as well as mood.

You can buy the fanciest essential oils your budget allows to follow this jet lag hack, or you can DIY it by finding the natural plants rich in those terpenes. For energy and alertness, consider peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, and rosemary. To wind down, look to lavender and chamomile.

Acupressure

Acupressure works by stimulating specific points on the body, known as acupoints, which are believed in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) to lie along pathways of energy flow called meridians. Pressure on specific points in the body, according to acupressure believers, can restore balance (and unlike with acupuncture, which you almost certainly should not be trying on yourself, acupressure only requires your fingers or a blunt object like a pen). The goal is to use those pressure points to control your sleep, alertness, and digestion to encourage your body to align with a new time zone.

Dr. John Amaro is credited with popularizing using the body’s meridians to fight jet lag. By tricking your body’s meridian cycle to match the time in your location, you can force yourself to run on a new schedule.

If you’re interested, this is one you’ll have to contact your local acupuncturist for more on.

Pycnogenol

Melatonin gets all the love, but there are other natural supplements that research has found to be effective. A 2024 study on an extract from French maritime pine bark trademarked as Pycnogenol looked specifically at jet lag and post-flight recovery. Participants included healthy travelers, frequent flyers, aviation professionals, and a subgroup with mild hypertension. Those taking 150 mg of Pycnogenol daily before and after long eastbound flights (10 to 12 hours) were compared with controls who did not supplement. Outcomes measured included jet lag symptom scores, number of nights with disturbed sleep, cognitive performance, and physical signs such as ankle swelling.

The results showed that Pycnogenol users experienced significantly fewer and shorter-lasting jet lag symptoms, reported better sleep quality with fewer disrupted nights, and maintained higher post-flight cognitive performance compared to controls. One study is not the final word, but if you’re open to trying earthing or melatonin this shouldn’t be off the table.

Take a hot bath

Hot water baths and saunas can be a gentle way to ease into a new sleep schedule. Immersing yourself in warm water — whether that’s a hotel bath tub or a world-class sauna — raises your core body temperature. When you step out, the gradual cooling mimics the body’s natural nighttime temperature drop, signaling to your circadian system that it’s time to rest.

Beyond sleep benefits, hot baths and saunas also relieve the physical strain of travel. They soothe sore muscles and improve circulation after long flights — factors that can compound jet lag fatigue. While there’s little-to-no direct scientific evidence that heat therapies realign circadian rhythms, the combination of muscle relaxation, improved sleep onset, and cultural ritual makes them a low-risk, comforting strategy that can help ease jet lag symptoms.

At the end of the day, it’s your trip and you can make it what you want. Just try not to miss a day because of fatigue. You only get so many trips, after all.

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