1 day before departure
- Bedtime
- Move bedtime 1h earlier than normal
- Wake
- Wake 1h earlier
- Light
- Bright light immediately on wake (sunlight or 10,000-lux box, 30–60 min)
- Avoid light
- Dim lights and avoid screens 2h before the new bedtime
- Melatonin
- Optional: 0.5 mg melatonin 5h before target bedtime (consult doctor; avoid if on SSRIs/blood thinners)
- Anchor each step with light exposure — the light is doing the work.
On the flight
- Set your watch to the destination time as soon as you board.
- Sleep when it’s night at the destination, even if you’re not tired.
- Avoid alcohol and excess caffeine — both disrupt sleep architecture and worsen jet lag.
- Hydrate steadily; cabin humidity is ~10–20%.
Day of arrival
- Bedtime
- Aim for local bedtime even if you’re wide awake
- Light
- Morning bright light at the destination (sunlight is ideal) for at least 30 min
- Avoid light
- Wear sunglasses in the late afternoon and avoid bright light after dusk
- Melatonin
- 0.5 mg melatonin 30 min before destination bedtime (Cochrane: effective for ≥5h eastward)
- Resist the urge to nap longer than 20–30 minutes — it will compound the lag.
Day 2 at destination
- Light
- Continue morning bright light for the first 3–5 days
- Avoid light
- Avoid bright evening light until you’re fully adjusted
- Melatonin
- 0.5 mg melatonin before bedtime (continue 2–4 nights)
- Eat meals on the local schedule — meal timing reinforces the new circadian phase.