Jet lag prevention
Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder. It occurs when your body's biological clock is not in sync with the local time zone you are in. The more time zones you pass through, the worse your jet lag can be. Also, traveling east can be harder to adjust to because you lose time.
Jet lag can make you feel like going to bed several hours before bedtime. You also may have trouble falling asleep, feel tired during the day, feel confused and out of sorts, and generally not feel well.
There are steps you can take to help prevent jet lag, such as trying to adjust to the new time zone before you arrive.
Jet lag is a combination of symptoms experienced after flying in an airplane, especially on long trips. Fatigue, irritability, dehydration, and a broken sleep pattern are common symptoms of jet lag.
References
Drake CL, Wright KP, Cheng P. Shift work, shift-work disorder, jet lag, and jet lag disorder. In: Kryger M, Roth T, Goldstein CA, Dement WC, eds. Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2022:chap 81.
Vaughn BV, Basner RC. Sleep disorders. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 377.
Version Info
Last reviewed on: 5/12/2022
Reviewed by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
