After visiting my home country for four weeks, I just arrived back in Chile. It felt so good to be back in Europe after many years, and missing a month of Chilean winter isn’t bad at all (although the heatwave in Germany was pretty intense).

A major challenge when traveling between time zones is jetlag. The time difference between Germany and Chile is currently 6 hours, which is quite a lot for the body to handle.

While it’s impossible to avoid jetlag entirely, some science-backed strategies can make the transition easier. The main tools are light exposure, sleep timing, caffeine/meal timing, and a bit of patience.

Let’s look at them one by one.

That’s an important question because you need to either advance your inner clock (when heading east) or delay it (when heading west).

In my example, when traveling eastwards from Chile to Germany, I had to set my inner clock forward because when it’s midnight in Chile, it’s already 6 am in Germany. On my return, heading west, I needed to shift my inner clock backward again.

Strategic light exposure is crucial because light is the most important signal for your inner clock. There’s a structure in your brain, called the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which adjusts your biological clock in response to light exposure.

By using light strategically, you help your suprachiasmatic nucleus shift your internal clock. And that’s why the distinction between eastward and westward travel is so important.

If you travel eastwards, morning light exposure is crucial because it tells your brain and body: “Hey, the day has already begun!”. For westward travel, late afternoon/evening light exposure is more important. It signals: “Hey, the day isn’t over yet!”.

So, depending on your direction of travel, your main focus should be either getting natural light as early as possible in the morning or getting afternoon/evening light. And also, avoid bright light at the wrong time, because it can push your clock in the wrong direction.

Light exposure is the most effective way to adjust your biological clock, but there are other tools you can use.

Sleep timing is another way to help your body adapt to a new schedule.

The simplest rule is to try to sleep according to the destination time zone as soon as you can. That doesn’t mean forcing sleep the first night if your body is still on the old schedule or avoiding naps at all costs. It means shifting bedtime and wake time toward local time as much and as soon as possible.

If you traveled east, it means going to bed earlier than usual (regarding the “old” schedule). If you traveled west, it means staying up later.

While trying to adjust your sleep schedule is important, it’s also important to give yourself some grace: It doesn’t have to be perfect from the first night, and you might also need some recovery sleep if you’re sleep-deprived or exhausted from traveling.

Caffeine can be useful, but timing matters. If you consume it regularly, try adjusting your schedule to the new local time (e.g., if you drink coffee every morning, continue to drink it in the morning according to the new schedule). Avoid using it to fight sleepiness late at night.

Meal timing is also a powerful signal. Your body does not only respond to light but also to daily rhythms in eating. I try to eat according to the local schedule as soon as I arrive, even if my appetite is slightly off.

That does not mean forcing large meals at strange times. It simply means using meal timing as another cue that helps the body understand: “We are in a new time zone now.”

Jetlag is easier to manage when you stop thinking of it as a problem. You’re just temporarily out of sync after traveling across time zones, and that’s natural and normal.

The most helpful mental move is to shift to the new time zone as early as possible, even if your body has not fully caught up yet. That means adjusting the time on your phone and watch (or whatever you use) while still on the plane to start mentalizing yourself in the new time zone, and also eating, getting light, and planning sleep according to the new local time (within what feels doable).

Patience matters. The circadian system adapts gradually, and trying to force it too aggressively can backfire.

If you travel for work and have some planning flexibility, prefer to arrive a few days before an important meeting or event rather than staying a few days longer after it. That way, you give your body a chance to adapt to the new time zone before the important event.

There are also some pharmacological options, but I see them as helpers, not replacements for the other tools.

The best-supported option in the literature is melatonin. It can help with sleepiness and circadian adjustment when it is timed correctly.

Another gentle pharmacological helper could be Ashwagandha (avoid it if you have liver issues!).

None of these should be taken on a regular basis, though. The first few days around the transition are fine, but avoid using them permanently.

Jetlag and travel fatigue are different things.

While jetlag refers to the difficulty of adjusting to a new schedule, travel fatigue comes from the travel experience itself, e.g. disrupted sleep on a night flight, lack of comfort on long flights, the stress of traveling, etc.

This distinction matters because you can have travel fatigue without jetlag or jetlag without much travel fatigue.

Flying between Germany and Chile is complicated both because of the time difference and the long flight (including a night flight) with several plane changes. To minimize travel fatigue as much as possible, I do my best to stay hydrated on the plane, stand up to stretch from time to time, and aid sleep with earplugs, a sleep mask, and the pharmacological aids indicated above.

Instead of fighting your body, work with it. Use light exposure, adjust the timing of meals, caffeine, and sleep, and give yourself grace.

It’s actually pretty amazing how our bodies can shift to a different schedule in just a few days!

That’s it for today!

And now?

Until next time!

Best wishes,

Patricia (Dr. Patricia Schmidt) from creatorschmidt.com

P.S.: Looking for more great newsletters to upgrade your inbox? Find out which other newsletters ATP subscribers love the most. 

Disclaimer: 1) This newsletter is for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or mental health advice and is not a substitute for professional healthcare. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition, medications, or supplements, and before making any changes to your health routine. 2) This newsletter may contain recommendations or links to third-party offers and newsletters. The author is not responsible for the content, accuracy, or practices of these external sites.