Cambridge Researchers Offer 6 Jet Lag Tips as Eastbound Travel Hits Harder
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 5
Cambridge Researchers Offer 6 Jet Lag Tips as Eastbound Travel Hits Harder
2 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 5
Summary
Cambridge researchers said jet lag can be eased—not cured—by timing light exposure, meals and exercise to the destination clock after crossing several time zones.
Daily sunlight is the strongest cue for the brain’s master clock, they said, so morning light helps shift the body earlier, evening light keeps it later, and daytime walks reinforce the new schedule.
Food timing also matters: eat during the day, avoid late-night meals that can delay melatonin release, and keep bedrooms dark and cool while sticking to a regular bedtime routine.
Eastbound trips are often tougher because most people adjust more easily by delaying than advancing their internal clock, which researchers said is slightly longer than 24 hours on average.
Melatonin may help some travelers, but Cambridge experts warned that it is prescription-only in the UK and over-the-counter supplements can contain doses that differ from their labels.