Health advice

Jet lag remedies that work

Woman sleeping in bed.

Find remedies for jet lag to ease your discomfort

Jet lag can cause sleeplessness and tiredness. Although the symptoms usually go away on their own, there are treatments you can try if it’s affecting you throughout the day.

From melatonin to natural remedies, we discuss the approaches that work as well as those that aren’t effective.

Reviewed by: Connie Whewall, Clinical Pharmacist

Published: June 2025

Next review: June 2028

Connie Whewall, Clinical Pharmacist at Well Pharmacy.
What is jet lag?

Jet lag is a temporary sleep condition. It happens when your sleep pattern is disturbed by travelling across time zones. You might find it difficult to get to sleep at night or feel tired during the day as a result.3

Why does jet lag happen?

Your body relies on its internal clock, or circadian rhythm, to manage your sleep-wake cycle. Like a real clock, it has a 24-hour cycle that helps you get to bed at night and stay alert during the day.

When you travel for long distances, your internal clock won’t be aligned with the day and nighttime of your destination. This is because the place you have travelled to may be several hours ahead or behind the time of your starting point or the country you live in.4

What happens when your internal clock is disrupted?

Your circadian rhythm can impact your physical health, mental state and your behaviour. When you travel, your circadian rhythm takes a few days to adjust to a new time zone. This can make you feel:

  • Tired
  • Irritable
  • Weaker than usual.

You might also notice that you have a reduced appetite, feel sick, have constipation or that the symptoms of digestive conditions like irritable bowel syndrome are worsening.5

How long does jet lag last?

Jet lag can start as soon as you land at your destination, however, it may take a few days to appear. Your symptoms should only last 1 to 2 days but they may last longer.5

How to manage symptoms of jet lag

To prevent jet lag from causing disturbances to your trip, you can try several things before and during your time away from home to minimise its effects.

Before your trip and during travel

If you are travelling for 3 days or less, you might find it useful to go to bed and get up at the time you usually would. This can help you manage feelings of tiredness or sleeplessness.

Tip: Set alarms to the time in your home country so you can continue your normal routine.6

If your trip is longer than 3 days, you can prepare ahead of your travel by adjusting your sleep patterns so that they match the times at your destination. Going to bed earlier or later, depending on where you’ll be travelling can help you adjust quicker.6

Tip: Travelling west means you will be ahead of UK time, so you will want to go to bed a few hours earlier. If you are travelling east, you will be behind UK time, so want to go to bed a few hours later.3

While flying, you can use eye masks and ear plugs to create a dark, quiet environment to help you sleep.6 A travel pillow and extra layers of clothing can also help you feel comfortable while you rest on a plane.

Tip: If you haven’t been able to prepare in the weeks before your trip, use your time aboard the aeroplane to rest.

You can minimise sickness caused by jet lag by avoiding alcohol on your flight, keeping hydrated and eating smaller meals.6

During your trip

You can combat jet lag in the first few days of your trip by:

  • Attempting to sleep for at least 4 hours during the night at your destination.
  • Taking a 30-minute nap during the day. This should be at least 8 hours before you plan on going to sleep for the night.
  • Make sure your sleep environment is dark.
  • Exposing yourself to natural light during the daytime.
  • Avoid caffeinated drinks in the evening. However, caffeine may help you feel alert during the day.
  • Staying physically active during the day.
  • Relaxing before going to bed. Taking a warm bath, doing gentle stretches, reading a book and avoiding the use of devices like mobile phones, tablets and laptops can all help stimulate sleep.6
Can melatonin help manage jet lag symptoms?

Melatonin is a hormone that helps you sleep. Your body produces more of it in the evening and less during the day to help manage your internal body clock.

There are melatonin tablets available in UK pharmacies, but they are usually only prescribed to people over the age of 55 to treat short-term sleeping disorders.7

Melatonin is a prescription-only treatment. You cannot buy it over the counter. Buying melatonin online from an unlicensed retailer or trying to bypass UK law can be dangerous. UK medications are highly regulated to make sure they are safe.8

Although melatonin tablets can help with short-term sleep problems, your doctor will advise against using them for jet lag. This is because there is not enough evidence to suggest melatonin reduces the symptoms of jet lag.2,4

Can I use sleeping pills to prevent jet lag?

Sleeping pills, otherwise known as non-benzodiazepine hypnotic medication or Z-drugs, can be used to treat short-term sleeping problems (insomnia). However, they are not routinely prescribed because they can be addictive. They are only prescribed if your sleeping problem is causing significant distress and trying sleep hygiene methods haven’t worked.3,5,6,9

Do natural remedies for jet lag work?

There are some natural remedies you can try to help improve the symptoms of jet lag. These include:

  • Hydration. Staying hydrated can help with symptoms related to an upset stomach, including nausea and constipation.
  • Ginger. Ginger can help settle your stomach and improve feelings of nausea.
  • Light. Sun exposure can help your body sync with your new time zone. On your first full day, try to spend most of your time outdoors or in well-lit areas.
  • Caffeine. Drinks like tea, coffee and energy drinks can help with feelings of drowsiness. In the evening, you should limit your caffeine intake, so you can fall asleep during the night.5,10,11
References
  1. Jet lag disorder - Symptoms and causes. Mayo Clinic. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/jet-lag/symptoms-causes/syc-20374027
  2. Jet lag. nhs.uk. October 23, 2017. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/jet-lag/
  3. Jet Lag | Travelers’ Health | CDC. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/page/jet-lag
  4. Circadian Rhythm. Sleep Foundation. September 25, 2020. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm
  5. Jet Lag: Navigating Symptoms, Causes, & Prevention. Sleep Foundation. February 5, 2021. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/travel-and-sleep/jet-lag
  6. Scenario: Jet lag | Management | Sleep disorders - shift work and jet lag | CKS | NICE. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/sleep-disorders-shift-work-jet-lag/management/jet-lag/
  7. Who can and cannot take melatonin. nhs.uk. February 23, 2023. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/melatonin/who-can-and-cannot-take-melatonin/
  8. Common questions about melatonin. nhs.uk. February 23, 2023. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/melatonin/common-questions-about-melatonin/
  9. Scenario: Managing insomnia | Management | Insomnia | CKS | NICE. Accessed April 15, 2025. https://cks.nice.org.uk/topics/insomnia/management/managing-insomnia/
  10. Nikkhah Bodagh M, Maleki I, Hekmatdoost A. Ginger in gastrointestinal disorders: A systematic review of clinical trials. Food Sci Nutr. 2018;7(1):96-108. doi:10.1002/fsn3.807
  11. Constipation. nhs.uk. October 20, 2017. Accessed July 4, 2023. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/constipation/
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