Jet lag

If you’re travelling and want to minimise sleep disruption and jet lag, our pharmacy offers treatments to help you adjust to a new time zone.

Before you travel
To reduce the effects of jet lag, you should ensure you get enough rest before you travel and adjust to the timezone of your destination.
During your flight
- Drink plenty of water
- Move around the cabin regularly and stretch
Arrival
- Change your sleep schedule to the new timezone as soon as possible - sleep only at night and resist the urge to nap during the day
- Spend time outdoors during the day
- Set an alarm in the morning so you don’t oversleep
Avoid
- Drinking too much caffeine or alcohol
Your body clock should naturally adjust to the new time zone after a few days.
If you’re experiencing insomnia, sleeping tablets may be helpful, but should only be used for a short time and if symptoms are severe.
It usually takes about one day for each hour of time zone changes for your body clock to fully adjust, particularly when travelling eastward.