How to beat jet lag

Jet lag is worse than you probably think. 

For example, it might be the difference between a gold or silver medal at the Olympics. One study looked at 173 Olympic teams across 15 Olympic Games. It found that athletes who would have otherwise won gold came second when jet-lagged. 

For us non-Olympians, jet lag still disrupts: 

• performance
• recovery
• glucose control
• mood
• focus
• cognition

We can’t always avoid jet lag… but we can minimize it. I recently traveled to China with Bryan, flipping our circadian rhythms entirely. 

For us non-Olympians, jet lag still disrupts: 

• rejuvenates the body
• boosts brain function
• supports the immune system
• regulates hormones

How to reduce jet lag

Here are some tips we use to reduce jet lag.

During the flight:

• fast: no food before or during the flight. This improves sleep quality. I know it can be hard to avoid the temptations, but it is worth it. 
• avoid blue light: use blue-light-blocking glasses to block bright cabin lights. Skip screens. Read instead. This signals to your body that you’re preparing to sleep.
• prioritize sleep: If you’re traveling overnight, inform the flight crew that you’ll skip meals and sleep right after takeoff. This avoids being disturbed by the flight schedule or service.
• block light and sounds: while sleeping wear earplugs and a blackout eye mask.
• hydrate: Planes dehydrate you. Dehydration makes fatigue worse. Drink lots of water before, during, and after your flight. Keep up a hydrating skin protocol, since cabin air dries the skin and disrupts the skin barrier.
• skip alcohol: It wrecks sleep, hydration, and recovery.

When you land:

• If landing in the morning, restart your circadian rhythm by getting sunlight exposure, exercising, and eating. This tells your brain it’s daytime, syncing up your circadian rhythm.
• If you drink caffeine, isolate that to the morning. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon and evening as it can disrupt your sleep that night, making jet lag worse.
• Before bed, take extended-release melatonin for at least the first 3 nights to promote sleep on your new schedule.

Final thoughts

It can take 1 day per time zone crossed for your circadian rhythm to fully adjust. Taking melatonin and getting sunlight, exercise, and food in time with your new destination can shorten jet lag down dramatically.

We are also monitoring the effect of our travels on Bryan’s biomarkers and will report any learnings soon.

In the meantime, these jet lag tips can help you get your sleep schedule back on track faster.