🌟 [TT] Jet Lag 3 Ways 🧠

As families return from summer travels and prepare for the start of the school term, many of you may still be feeling the effects of crossing time zones.

Did you know that on average, your body needs 1-1.5 days to adapt per time zone crossed? So if you’ve been somewhere 5 hours different, it could take up to a week to fully adjust to your home time zone.

Here’s how to speed up the reset.

📍3 Ways to Speed Up Jet Lag Recovery

🌟1️⃣ Strategic Light Exposure

The most powerful tool for resetting your brain’s clock is getting the right light at the right time.

Morning: Get some early morning sun if you can. Even 10-15 minutes of outdoor light exposure can help signal to your brain that it’s time to be alert.

Evening: Keep lighting dim as bedtime approaches. Light exposure during the night is most sensitive for resetting circadian rhythms.

The intensity matters too – outdoor sunlight ranges from about 10,000 to 100,000 lux, much more powerful than indoor lighting for circadian resetting.

🌟2️⃣ Time Your Meals

Eat according to your destination’s meal times, not when your body thinks it’s hungry.

For breakfast, choose high-quality protein with slow-release carbohydrates – e.g. eggs with avocado on wholemeal toast, or Greek yoghurt with berries and nuts. This helps avoid the blood sugar spike and crash from high-sugar breakfasts that can worsen jet lag fatigue.

Why this works: Your digestive system has its own circadian clock. By eating at local meal times, you’re helping synchronise this peripheral clock with your new time zone, supporting overall circadian realignment.

🌟3️⃣ Morning Movement

Exercising at 7 a.m. or between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. can shift the circadian rhythm to an earlier time, which is helpful for most types of jet lag recovery.

Even a 10-15 minute walk outdoors combines the benefits of light exposure with gentle movement to help reset your body clock.

Research shows that exercise is always beneficial for sleep, and a good workout before and after a long-haul flight “works wonders” for the worst aspects of jet lag.

📍3 Reasons This Matters for Your Brain Health

Quality sleep recovery from jet lag benefits your brain in three important ways:

🌟1️⃣ Brain “Detox” During Deep Sleep

During deep slow-wave sleep, your brain’s glymphatic system becomes active – a waste removal network that clears harmful proteins like amyloid-beta and tau from your brain tissue. Think of it as your brain’s overnight maintenance crew.

🌟2️⃣ Better Blood Sugar Regulation

Even partial sleep deprivation over one night increases insulin resistance, which can increase blood sugar levels. Deep sleep brain waves are associated with better blood glucose control the following day through improved insulin sensitivity.

🌟3️⃣ Improved Stress Responses and Emotional Regulation

Sleep disruption from jet lag affects your brain’s ability to regulate stress hormones like cortisol. When your sleep normalises, your brain can better manage daily stresses and emotional responses, helping you feel more like yourself again.

📍Question for you today

Which of the 3 jet lag recovery tips – strategic light, meal timing, or morning movement – will you prioritise this week?

Wishing you smooth circadian realignment, Dr Sui Wong

PS – Shift Workers: Thank you to those of you who work shifts – often key workers keeping society running. If any of you work shifts or know someone who does, and would be interested in a short audio series to support shift work wellness, please reply and let me know! 😊If there is enough demand I’ll create a series for you ☺️

*References: Sack et al. (2007), Reid et al. (2015), Youngstedt et al. (2019), Xie et al. (2013), Hablitz et al. (2020), Spiegel et al. (2005)

📌 FAQ

• How many days does it take to recover from jet lag?
→ “1–1.5 days per time zone crossed.”
• Does exercise help with jet lag?
→ “Yes, especially at 7am or between 1–4pm to advance circadian rhythm.”

Dr Sui Wong

Registered Address: 95 High Street HA8 7DB, United Kingdom. www.drsuiwongmd.com

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