Three tips for time travel (and avoiding jet lag)

I'm off to the Europe and the UK this week, so I thought it would be a good time to drop some of the tips I use to avoid jet lag when I'm traveling to a different time zone.

1. Understand Jet Lag: You can't cure jet lag, but understanding how it works helps. It's a good rule of thumb that every day in a new time zone, your body adjusts by about one hour. This means if you move eight time zones (I.e. 8 hours ahead), it will take roughly eight days for your body to fully adapt.

2. Get Daylight Exposure: Bright light in the morning in the new time zone helps reset your internal clock. Spend at least 20-30 minutes outside, without sunglasses, for the best results. Natural light exposure, even on cloudy days, signals to your brain that it's time to wake up and be alert.

3. Adjust Eating and Sleeping Habits: Eat meals at regular times in the new time zone and try to sleep during flights at times that align with your destination's bedtime. Eating on the new schedule helps reset your internal clock, while strategic napping can reduce fatigue. Avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime to improve sleep quality.

Hope that helps! You can check out PhD Matt Walker, an expert on sleep, talking more about it here:

❤️ Peter

P.S.

4. BONUS: Advanced mode: You can start sleep shifting days early; it will take less time to adjust in your new locale. For example, getting up 30 min earlier each day for a few days before a time shift forward. Exercise in the sun as soon as it is out in the new time zone tends to speed up the change in circadian rhythm, at least for me. Dosing melatonin when it's night time in the place you're going to be the day before can speed up the transition a lot, but it will make you feel awful leading up to the flight.