What is jet lag?
Jet lag disorder is a temporary sleep condition that happens when you travel rapidly across multiple time zones, causing your internal body clock to fall out of step with the local time at your destination. Your circadian rhythm, which regulates when you feel awake and when you feel sleepy, takes time to adjust to a new sleep pattern, leaving you feeling out of sorts in the meantime.
Jet lag affects travellers of all ages and can happen whether you’re flying east or west, though eastward travel is often harder on the body as it requires you to advance your sleep schedule rather than delay it.
What causes jet lag?
Jet lag is caused by a disruption to your circadian rhythm, the internal 24 hour cycle your body uses to regulate:
- Sleep
- Hunger
- Body temperature
- Hormone release
This rhythm is largely controlled by light exposure, so when you move quickly across time zones, your body is still responding to light and darkness cues from your departure location rather than your destination.
When your melatonin production is out of sync with local time, as it’s the hormone naturally produced by the brain in response to darkness, it becomes difficult to fall asleep when you need to and stay awake when you should.
The more time zones you cross, the more pronounced the disruption tends to be, and symptoms can last from a couple of days to over a week, depending on the person and the journey.
Symptoms of Jet Lag
The effects of jet lag can vary from person to person, but common signs include:
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at the right local time
- Excessive daytime sleepiness or fatigue
- Drowsiness during hours when you need to be alert
- Difficulty concentrating or thinking clearly
- Irritability or mood changes
- Dizziness or a general feeling of being unwell
- Digestive issues, including nausea, constipation, or changes in appetite
- Reduced physical performance
Jet Lag Treatment
There isn’t an instant cure for jet lag, but the right treatment can significantly reduce how long and how severely it affects you. Melatonin is the most widely used and clinically supported option, helping to realign your body clock with your new time zone.
Melatonin Tablets
Melatonin is a hormone your body produces naturally to signal that it is time to sleep. Taking melatonin tablets at the appropriate local bedtime at your destination helps nudge your body clock in the right direction, making it easier to treat jet lag and wake up in line with local time.
Using melatonin for jet lag is typically done in low doses for a short course, starting on the day you travel or on arrival – depending on your direction of travel. It’s generally well tolerated by most adults and doesn’t carry the dependency risks like other traditional sleep aids.
Following a short consultation with one of our licensed pharmacists, once approved, you can buy melatonin jet lag treatment from our online clinic with fast and discreet delivery to your door.
Additional Tips to Reduce Jet Lag Symptoms
Alongside melatonin treatment, a few practical steps can help your body adjust more quickly and prevent jet lag from disrupting your trip:
- Adjust your schedule before you fly – shifting your sleep and meal times gradually in the days before departure can give your body a head start
- Stay hydrated during your long flight – dehydration can worsen fatigue, so drink plenty of water during and after your journey
- Get natural light once you arrive at your destination – light is the strongest cue for resetting your body clock, so spending time outdoors during daylight hours can help
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine close to bedtime – both can disrupt sleep quality and make jet lag symptoms worse
- Try to sleep on the plane – if it’s nighttime at your destination, sleeping during the flight can ease the transition
