Whether you’re travelling for work or setting off on a bucket list holiday, few things can spoil a long-haul trip faster than jet lag.
Crossing multiple time zones disrupts your body’s natural circadian rhythm, often leaving you battling fatigue, poor sleep, brain fog and reduced concentration just when you want to make the most of your destination.
While jet lag can’t always be avoided, sleep scientists and travel experts say there are simple, evidence-based ways to reduce its impact. Everything from adjusting your sleep schedule before departure and timing your exposure to daylight, to staying hydrated, planning meals and even using specialist apps can help your body adapt more quickly to a new time zone.
Some airlines are also introducing onboard wellness programmes designed specifically to combat the effects of long-haul travel.
Here’s what the experts recommend to help you recover faster and start enjoying your trip sooner.
What is jet lag?
Jet lag is a temporary disruption to your body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm, that occurs when you travel rapidly across multiple time zones.
While your watch adjusts instantly, your body takes longer to synchronise with the local day-night cycle, leaving you feeling tired during the day, wide awake at night and struggling to concentrate. Other common symptoms include irritability, digestive problems and reduced alertness.
The more time zones you cross, the more noticeable the effects can be, with eastbound travel often proving harder to adapt to than flying west because it requires your body clock to advance rather than delay.
How to prevent jet lag
While it’s difficult to avoid jet lag entirely, sleep experts say preparing before you travel, making smart choices during your flight and adapting quickly on arrival can significantly reduce its effects.
Maintaining good hydration, prioritising sleep and exposing yourself to natural daylight at your destination are among the simplest ways to help your body reset its circadian rhythm and recover more quickly.
Here are some ways to prevent jet lag:
- Gradually adjust your sleep and meal times before you travel.
- Get at least seven hours of sleep in the days before departure.
- Stay well hydrated before, during and after your flight.
- Time your sleep on the plane to match your destination’s local time.
- Set your watch to your destination’s time as soon as you board.
- Limit alcohol and caffeine, especially during the flight and before bed.
- Walk around the cabin regularly and wear compression socks on long flights.
- Spend time outdoors in natural daylight after you arrive.
- Avoid long daytime naps and stay awake until local bedtime.
- On your return journey, begin readjusting to your home time zone before you fly.
Doctor’s orders: Sleep, gum and staying hydrated
Dr. Megha Pancholi, Boots Online Doctor GP, shares her top tips to stay healthy while travelling. From sleep adjustment to compression socks, here’s what she recommends:
- Adjust your sleep schedule two to three days before you travel: “To reduce the impact of jet lag, try to get plenty of rest before you travel and begin gradually shifting your sleep schedule a few days ahead of your trip to align more closely with your destination’s time zone. On your flight, aim to sleep when it’s nighttime at your destination, and try to spend time in natural daylight once you arrive to help your body reset.”
- Pack some chewing gum to avoid ‘airplane ear’: “Many people experience blocked ears or mild ear pain during flights – often known as ‘airplane ear’ – which happens because of pressure changes between your middle ear and the cabin. Chewing gum, swallowing or yawning can all help balance the pressure and ease discomfort. This is especially useful during take-off and landing, when pressure changes are at their strongest.
- Fill up your water bottle before boarding to stay hydrated: “Dehydration is common on long flights because the air in the cabin is much drier than we’re used to on the ground. This means your body loses more moisture through breathing and through your skin. Staying hydrated is important to help your body function at its best while travelling, so try to drink plenty of water throughout the flight. Eating water-rich foods like fruit can also help, and it’s a good idea to limit alcohol and caffeine, which can make dehydration worse. Some people also like to bring a moisturiser or face mist to help keep their skin feeling fresh during the flight.
- Remember to bring compression socks in your hand luggage: “Sitting still for long periods on a flight can lead to swollen ankles or heavy legs, especially on longer journeys. This happens because blood flow slows down, and fluid can start to build up in your lower limbs. Wearing compression socks can help improve circulation and reduce the risk of discomfort. They’re a good idea for anyone on a long-haul flight, and especially helpful for people who are pregnant, older or prone to circulation issues. If you can, try to get up and stretch your legs during the flight too – even a quick walk up the aisle can make a difference.”
Fiji Airways launches FlyWell
Recognising that long-haul flights can take a major toll on the body and mind, Fiji Airways has launched FlyWell, a new wellness programme designed to help passengers arrive feeling refreshed rather than exhausted.
The experience combines five science-informed rituals focused on circulation, sleep, cognitive performance, recovery and cabin wellbeing, delivered throughout the journey from take-off to the airline’s lounge in Nadi.
Developed with specialist wellness partners, FlyWell offers practical guidance and tools to support travellers, helping reduce the physical impacts of long-haul travel and making the journey itself part of the holiday experience.
On selected long-haul services between Fiji and Los Angeles or San Francisco, passengers can use Magic Mind focus and sleep supplements, Ra Optics blue-light-filtering glasses to support healthy sleep patterns, and Firefly Recovery wearable devices to encourage circulation during the flight.
Before flying home, travellers passing through the Fiji Airways Premier Lounge in Nadi can book red light therapy sessions from Vital Red Light to aid recovery, while Aires Tech technology is integrated into the lounge, selected resort check-in areas and crew facilities to create a calmer, more relaxing environment throughout the travel experience.
Download these apps to help tackle jet lag
There are several apps designed to help travellers reduce the effects of jet lag.
Developed with sleep and circadian rhythm experts, Timeshifter creates personalised jet lag plans based on your itinerary, age and usual sleep schedule. The app provides step-by-step recommendations on when to sleep, seek or avoid light, drink caffeine and, if appropriate, take melatonin to help minimise the effects of crossing time zones.
Created by researchers at the University of Michigan, Entrain uses mathematical models of the body’s circadian clock to generate customised schedules for light exposure and sleep. Users enter their travel plans and typical sleep patterns, and the app suggests when to sleep and seek daylight to help their body clock adapt more quickly.
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