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While there are a few things that you can do to help reduce the effects of jet lag, the sad reality is that it cannot be avoided entirely. The best you can hope for when traversing the world (or an expansive country, in some cases) is to mitigate the worst effects of jet lag using a combination of preventative measures and manipulating your environment. And yes, leveraging credit card perks can help with this, too.
However, before we explore jet lag solutions, we'll first explain what it is and what causes it.
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What Is Jet Lag — And What Causes It?
Jet lag is a feeling of tiredness or exhaustion caused by a long flight traversing several time zones. An unavoidable side effect of international travel, jet lag, is the fatigue experienced when the cells that regulate our body clock are unable to adjust to a rapid change in our sleep/wake cycles.
Our bodies use circadian rhythms dictated by the rise and fall of the sun to regulate sleep cycles and adapt our sleep cycle to the local environment via external cues such as light and temperature.
When we cross multiple time zones in a short period of time, our bodies need time to adjust to this change in environment. We feel the effects of jet lag while our bodies try to synchronize their internal clocks to the local environment.
Depending on how many time zones you cross, it can take days for your body to adjust to a new time zone and the effects of jet lag to fade. That can be frustrating if you only have a short time to explore a new destination and enjoy your stay.
So, what can you do to lessen the impact of jet lag?
The Direction and Time of Day You Fly Contributes to Jet Lag
Flying east requires more preparation and recovery time than flying west. When you travel east, every time zone you cross is an hour earlier you need to wake — and an hour earlier you need to sleep. Due to how our brain cells measure each 24-hour cycle, it’s easier to extend the length of a day than shorten it.
The general consensus is that our bodies need one day to recover for every time zone crossed. However, when you travel east, your body can take longer to recover due to how the brain regulates sleep cycles. A best practice to combat flying east is to prepare by controlling the body’s access to light.
By turning out the lights and restricting screens progressively earlier each night for three or four days before flying, you can control access to light and begin to influence your circadian rhythms.
The opposite goes for the morning. Be sure to rise earlier each day before your flight and get straight out into natural light. Or, if it’s winter, switch on the lights and jump in front of a computer for 20 minutes for a dose of blue light, effectively jump-starting the brain cells that regulate sleep.
While this may sound a little old school and a lot of work, it’s work that your body will need to do anyway, and you can either do it before departure or when you arrive at your destination.
If you're flying west, you can reverse the strategy to expose yourself to light later in the evening and ensure your environment remains dark further into the morning each day in the lead-up to departure. This technique can effectively advance or slow your body clock in preparation for travel, making adjusting when you arrive after a long-haul flight easier.
How To Avoid Jet Lag To Europe
One of the most traveled flight corridors is between the United States and Europe. Avoiding jet lag to Europe (especially if you're flying from the U.S. East Coast) can be tricky because you'll be on a relatively short flight. Leaving in the evening and arriving in Europe early in the morning can make it hard to beat jet lag. You might have slept poorly on the flight, and if you arrive in Europe in the morning, it might be hard to make it through an entire day without taking a long nap somewhere in the middle of it, further messing up your sleep schedule.
So, you should consider a flight that leaves later in the day (after 9 p.m.) or one that arrives a bit later in the morning.
Another option is to use your miles and points to fly business class to Europe. Splurging won't change the duration of the flight, but at the very least, you'll be well-fed and likely enjoy a lie-flat seat on the ride over.
Best Ways To Alleviate Jet Lag
Despite numerous products that claim to address jet lag, there's no magic pill to prevent or cure it. When stripped back to basics, it comes down to controlling our environment and exposure to light. This also includes while we are transiting the airport and on the plane. And that means employing any method we can to control exposure to light in line with earlier preparation.
UV protective sunglasses, eye masks, earplugs (nothing to do with light, but they help with getting to sleep), and keeping an eye on the time to stay synced as close as possible to the destination time zone will do more to alleviate the symptoms of jet lag and make for a speedier recovery than all the magic pills and potions combined.
Getting into direct sunlight after arriving at a destination, particularly if there is time for a short workout or brisk walk, can help the body to reset. Sunlight is nature's method for setting our body clocks; its effect should not be underestimated.
You should also avoid stimulants such as caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine; instead, focus on drinking water. Water can greatly impact our body's ability to bounce back from travel.
How Credit Card Perks Can Help Beat Jet Lag
One of the best ways credit card rewards can help beat jet lag is through easier access to premium cabins on redeye or long-haul flights. Using miles and points to fly first class or business class can do several things that help combat jet lag. You'll have access to better food, allowing you to feel full. And most importantly, you'll likely have access to a lie-flat seat making it easier to fall asleep. This will help you feel more rested when you arrive and get you ready for the new day.
Another way credit cards can help you is with a credit card that gives you access to an airport lounge upon arrival. If you arrive early in the morning and don't have access to your hotel, you can use an arrivals lounge to get a solid meal along with a hot shower, helping you start your new day off on a good footing.
Broadly, one of the best ways to get lounge access is to pick up a credit card that offers a Priority Pass Select membership. This membership will grant you access to over 1,300 airport lounges — some of which you can access on arrival. The Platinum Card® from American Express offers this type of membership (Enrollment is required for select Amex benefits.) as does the Chase Sapphire Reserve® — plus a handful of other cards.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $120 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Coverage, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
- Member FDIC
- Rates & Fees
- 10X points on hotels and car rentals purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 10X points on Chase Dining (including prepaid reservations and prepaid takeout purchased through Chase)
- 5X points on airfare purchased through Chase Travel℠
- 3X points on all other travel
- 3X points on dining at restaurants
- 1X points on all other purchases
Related: What Priority Pass Airport Amenities Can You Access With the Chase Sapphire Reserve®?
Final Thoughts
Jet lag is the tiredness you get when crossing many time zones as part of traveling. Unfortunately, there isn't a magic pill to fix jet lag. However, there are a few strategies that you can use to mitigate it. These strategies include gradually moving your body clock forward or backward over a few days leading up to your flight. It's also a good idea to limit caffeine and alcohol on the day of travel. And of course, using credit card perks for lounge access or business class is helpful, too.
Have any secret weapons in the fight against jet lag? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees)
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