How to Adjust Your Sleep Schedule After Travelling
Shift your sleep a little before you travel, get morning light after eastward travel and evening light after westward travel (as general guidance), keep naps short and make the room dark and cool.
Before
Shift bedtime by 30 to 60 minutes a day for a few days if you can.
After
Use daylight to reset; avoid long naps.
Environment
A dark, cool, quiet room and an eye mask help.
Frequently asked questions
Does melatonin help?
Discuss with a doctor.
How long does jet lag last?
Often about a day per time zone.
Sources
- Roenneberg T, Wirz-Justice A, Merrow M. Life between clocks: daily temporal patterns of human chronotypes. J Biol Rhythms 2003;18(1):80–90. PubMed
- Gooley JJ, et al. Exposure to room light before bedtime suppresses melatonin onset and shortens melatonin duration in humans. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011;96(3):E463–E472. PubMed
Links go to PubMed searches for the paper title or to the official guideline or regulator page. Standards and regulations are revised, so check the current edition before relying on them. Mattress and pillow research is limited; treat findings as a starting point.
Keep reading
Sleep Habits and Routines: Evidence-Based Guide
Caffeine, exercise, meals, screens, shift work and travel: what the evidence says about habits that help or hurt sleep.
Read more →Sleep healthHow to Build a Better Bedtime Routine
A simple 30-minute wind-down routine built on light, screens, temperature and relaxation, with the research behind it.
Read more →HabitsHow to Improve Your Sleep Environment While Travelling
A travel kit: mask, earplugs, a familiar pillowcase, temperature control and light discipline.
Read more →Free toolChronotype Quiz: Morning Lark or Night Owl?
Use your free-day sleep timing to estimate your chronotype and get a bed and wake window with light timing tips.
Use the tool →This article is general information, not medical advice. If you have persistent pain or sleep problems, please speak to a doctor.
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