Jet Lag Recovery Plan — How Long to Adjust
Calculate jet lag recovery time by time zones crossed. Get a personalized light exposure and sleep schedule.
How Jet Lag Works
Your circadian rhythm (internal clock) takes time to adjust to a new time zone. The rule of thumb: 1 day per time zone crossed eastbound, 0.7 days westbound. Flying NYC→London (5 zones east) takes ~7 days to fully adjust. Flying London→NYC (5 zones west) takes ~5 days. Eastbound travel is harder because advancing your clock (going to sleep earlier) fights your natural tendency to stay up later.
The Light Protocol
Light is the most powerful circadian reset tool. Eastbound: Seek bright morning light at your destination — this advances your clock. Avoid evening light. Westbound: Seek bright evening light — this delays your clock. Avoid morning light. Getting this backwards actually makes jet lag worse. Supplement with melatonin (0.5-3mg) taken 30 minutes before your target bedtime for the first 3-5 nights.
The single best jet lag prevention strategy: on the plane, immediately set your watch to destination time and act accordingly. If it is nighttime there, sleep. If daytime, stay awake. This mental shift — treating the flight as already being in the new timezone — accelerates adjustment by 1-2 days compared to staying on home time.
