Jet Lag – Melatonin
Jet lag is a temporary disruption to the body's internal clock caused by crossing multiple time zones quickly, leading to tiredness and disrupted sleep
About jet lag – melatonin
The body's circadian rhythm regulates sleep, alertness and hormone release based on light exposure and habitual routine. Rapid travel across time zones outpaces the body's ability to adjust, causing a temporary mismatch between internal time and local time; this generally worsens with more time zones crossed and eastward travel
Treatments
Symptoms
• Difficulty falling or staying asleep at the new local time
• Daytime tiredness and reduced alertness
• Difficulty concentrating
• Irritability or low mood
• Digestive changes such as constipation or altered appetite
• A general feeling of being "out of sync"
Diagnosis
Jet lag doesn't require formal diagnosis; it's identified from recent travel across time zones alongside typical sleep and alertness symptoms that settle within a few days
Treatment
Short-term use of melatonin can help reset the sleep-wake cycle, particularly for eastward travel, taken close to the desired new bedtime. Adjusting light exposure, meal times and sleep schedule to the destination as early as possible also helps recovery
Prevention and self-care
• Gradually shift sleep and meal times before travel if possible
• Stay hydrated and limit alcohol and caffeine during the flight
• Get daylight exposure at the destination to help reset your body clock
• Avoid long naps on arrival
• Keep a consistent new sleep schedule from day one
• Consider melatonin for significant time zone changes, especially eastward
Reviewed by Hamza Iqbal Naheed, Superintendent Pharmacist, GPhC 2209194 (check the register) · Last updated 21 September 2026