Top Tips From World Nomads Experts On How To Overcome Jet Lag This Festive Period

• Jet lag can take the shine off festive travel, leaving people groggy, irritable and out of sync as they jump across time zones.
• Sleep experts explain that the real issue isn’t the flight, but the disruption to the body’s internal clocks, which govern everything from mood to digestion.
• Global travel insurance experts, World Nomads, share simple, science-backed tips, from smart light exposure to mindful caffeine intake, to help travellers adjust faster and feel their best for the holiday season. 

With the festive season fast approaching and many people preparing to fly across the globe in different directions, overcoming jet lag is often the hot topic for long-haul travel. It can compromise even the most exciting adventure, from waking bright-eyed at 5am or dozing off mid-afternoon, many travellers experience the familiar fog, irritability and digestive discomfort that comes from crossing multiple time zones.  

Global travel insurance experts World Nomads have shared some simple tips on how to ease the transition and help travellers feel their best ahead of the festive season.  

What is Jet Lag? 

Jet lag occurs when the internal body clock is out of sync with the local time at your destination. The discomfort is often blamed on the flight itself, but usually the real culprit is the mismatch between the natural circadian rhythm and the new time zone. 

Sleep and body clock expert Dr. Katharina Lederle explains, “Everything in your body is timed. There is a master clock in the brain and lots of peripheral clocks, such as organs, all over the body. Every clock is responsible for the proper timing of a process in your body, and all these processes are nicely timed with each other. When you travel across time zones, your body can’t change its inner time so fast, so there is a mismatch or a desynchronization which results in different temporary physical and mental symptoms.” 

How Long Does It Take to Recover?  

According to Professor Leon Lack of the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, it typically takes one day per time zone crossed for the body to fully adjust. For example,, travelling from Los Angeles to London, with an eight-hour difference, may require about eight days before sleep and energy levels stabilise.  

Top Tips to Combat Jet Lag 

1. Use Light to Reset Your Body Clock 

Light is the most powerful tool for re-timing your internal rhythm. 

• Flying west? Seek late-afternoon and evening light to help delay your body clock 

• Flying east? Start going to bed and waking up earlier a few days before departure, and prioritise morning light exposure when you arrive.  

Artificial light devices, such as blue-green light headsets, can also help, especially during the darker winter months.  

2. Consider Melatonin – With Medical Advice 

A low dose of melatonin (around 1mg) may help your body adjust to sleep at unfamiliar times. Always consult a healthcare professional before using it, as melatonin is prescription-only in countries such as the UK. 

3. Watch your Caffeine and Alcohol Intake 

Dr. Lederle notes that caffeine and alcohol can prolong adjustment. She encourages travellers to consider what time it is “back home” before accepting a coffee or drink, as doing so at the wrong moment may make it harder for the body to adapt.  

4. Don’t Force Sleep 

Give your body time to adjust naturally. Trying too hard to fall asleep can create unnecessary stress, so ease yourself into the new time zone over the first couple of days.  

For more information on combating jet lag, visit here.