Symptoms
- Difficulty sleeping at destination night
- Daytime fatigue and brain fog
- Irritability or low mood
- Digestive upset after arrival
- Worse symptoms after eastward travel
Jet lag
Jet lag happens when your body clock is out of sync after crossing time zones — causing poor sleep, fatigue and poor concentration for several days after long-haul flights.
Researched & fact-checked by Sanara Health Editorial Team
Why it happens
Rapid travel across time zones disrupts circadian rhythm faster than the body can adapt — usually one day of recovery per zone crossed.
Treatment
Timed light exposure, sleep at local night, hydration, and short-course circadian sleep-support tablets at local bedtime for up to five nights where suitable after pharmacy assessment.
Self-care that helps
Shift sleep before travel if possible; avoid alcohol on the flight; get morning daylight at destination; limit long naps.
When to get help
Persistent sleep problems weeks after return, or snoring with daytime sleepiness — may indicate sleep apnoea, not jet lag.
Go deeper
Related guides
Jet lag treatment UK: tablets, sleep tips and east-west travel
How to treat jet lag when flying from the UK — sleep-timing tablet use, light exposure, sleep hygiene and assessed options for long-haul travel.
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Anti-malaria tablets for UK travellers — destination matching, start dates, side effects and Fit for Travel guidance.
Available without prescription