Jet Lag: Symptoms, Causes, and Prevention
Written byEric Suni|Medically Reviewed byAbhinav Singh, MD, MPH, FAASM
Long-distance plane travel is infamous for being inconvenient and uncomfortable. Due to the logistics of check-in, the stress of security lines, and hours being stuck in a confined space, many people find extended plane trips to be seriously taxing. Jet lag frequently contributes to the physical burden of long flights. Jet lag can throw off your sleep and cause other bothersome symptoms that persist for days or even weeks after a flight. Whether you’re traveling for business or pleasure, understanding jet lag can make long-distance trips more pleasant and less disruptive to sleep and overall health.
What Is Jet Lag? Jet lag is a circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorder that occurs when your 24-hour internal clock does not match the local day-night cycle. Under normal circumstances, a person’s circadian clock promotes alertness during the day and sleep at night. In addition to sleep, this internal clock controls multiple biological processes including mood, performance, hormone release, metabolism, and immune function, among many others. The clock, and the rhythms it controls, are synchronized by the 24-hour light-dark cycle to promote normal function and good physical and mental health. When someone travels across many time zones quickly, the circadian clock cannot reset to the new light-dark cycle quickly enough, causing jet lag. Jet leg generally happens when a person travels east or west across three or more time zones. For example, if you fly from Los Angeles to New York and arrive at 11 p.m., your body might still operate as if it’s in L.A. at 8 p.m. and make it hard to fall asleep at the normal time in New York. This jet lag can cause you to stay up later than you’d like, sleep at odd hours, or feel more tired than usual, among other symptoms. It will also make it hard to wake up in the morning. When you try to wake up at 7 a.m. on New York time, you body will still think it is 4 a.m.
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