Time Zone adjustments

Always a killer for me who wakes at the same time +/- 10 minutes every day, without an alarm clock

And that time is 5am

Unfortunately when I return from Japan I have to be at work 36 hours later. And I do need to be awake when I am there!

So those of your who are seasoned time travellers, how do you adjust quickly to new time zones?

Is East to West really worse than West to East? Or is it vice versa?

Do you change your watch from the moment you get on the aircraft, or when you land?

Do you use any medication to help adjustments such as Melatonin?

Does on board sleeping help or hinder your adjustment?

I try and put my mind in the frame of thinking I am in the new time zone as soon as I drop the bags off (as long as that does not impact too greatly on my G&T time ).

I'm a big fan of melatonin, it's the best thing I've found to help with sleep/jet lag.

Having said that, it's not perfect - I'm currently typing this while lying awake in Colorado at 03:40 local time. Tbh, that probably has more to do with the altitude and an impending drive across a snow filled I70 to DEN though. Can't wait to get back down to sea level and be able to breathe again!

I find west to East is the killer. Going west from the UK I can adjust easily and going west to the UK is even easier. I recently came back from Hong Kong in CW on the A380 and having had a great nights sleep I was straight back into the game. However I came back from Jamaica in CW two weeks ago and I am still on Jamaican time. I don't think there is anything you can do other than make yourself get up, but being retired I don't have that motivation.

I struggle with west to east more, and always find myself exhausted on arrival, even after sleeping on the plane on those red-eye flights. I do try to sleep as much as possible going east.

Going west I sometimes get an awful headache, which isn't so great either. Actually I think I would swap the tiredness for the headache if I could. Thankfully it doesn't happen too often, and I find that as long as I go to bed very early that evening, I wake up fresh as a daisy (well, almost).

I think I'm blessed in terms of being able to adjust to jetlag though, than a lot of others people I know. Let's hope that doesn't change over time!

Everyone's different, I think.

I just stick with daylight wherever I am, as much as I can. And I am rarely in one place longer than 2/3 weeks. I figure it's short-term pain (at most a day of feeling tired) for long-term gain (jet-leg over almost immediately).

On my standard NYC-LON tatl route, flying East I prefer the very last flight out (so I'm tired enough to sleep on the plane and can then stay up the next day in London), or a daytime flight, where I'll have to have woken up around 4/5 in the morning, and I make sure not to sleep on the flight, so I'm tired when arriving into London.

I never have a problem flying West, as the next day always feels like a lie-in, even if I get up at 5 a.m. local! I prefer an afternoon departure from London, early evening arrival, so I can have some dinner and get to sleep in NYC.

It helps to keep busy, which I appreciate is difficult for those on holiday. Having something to do the next morning, or the evening/day you arrive I find really helps in the long-term.

I don't enjoy it either way but I have done 30 years of shift work so I have had quite a lot of practice.
I find a short nap in the afternoon helps if I can take it.
Dick D

Another vote for Melatonin . I buy it in the USA as I think you need a prescription to get it in the UK.

I have only ever done UK to USA and back again but I always seem to struggle with the homeward flight more. Don't underestimate the importance of sunlight in keeping you awake! I, like you, always wake up early when left to my own devices.

My family recently came back from Japan - they slept a little on the flight and then went to bed early that evening. They were all awake by 0600 the next day having had a good night's sleep. Given that you like to wake early anyway - I would suggest this too - get a bit of sleep on the plane (I find this a near impossible task myself ) then just go to bed early when you get back.

I personally steer well clear of sleeping aids but would recommend staying well hydrated and eating regularly throughout. Don't go to bed hungry either as that can make jet jag worse as your body tries to keep you awake.

I have never slept on a plane, mind you I don't sleep at all well at home and always wake very early. i have tried sleeping pills, melatonin etc all to no avail. So just grin and bear it, when we come home in a few weeks we have the British time change a day after so I probably won't know where i am. I cannot eat late at night, that is probably something to do with age and do not like the late night flights when you have a meal or refreshment but in from of you at midnight body clock time.

Keeping hydrated is probably good and small meals on the flight or not too much indulgence. I do try but when its put in front of you its too nice not to eat.

Choosing certain flight times can help in my experience, for example landing in NYC in the evening, light meal then bed is a fail safe formula. Same goes for daylight flights from NYC to London.

Have only ever done TATL

Never had a problem going there - I treat it like an extra long day and usually have a nap on the plane. I stay awake until a reasonable going to bed time (10-11pm) and them an usually so tired that I sleep through to my normal waking up time.

It's the coming back that gets me even if I've had a sleep on the plane. The '1 day per time zone' recovery period really does seem to apply to me.

God knows how I would manage going to Asia or Oz/NZ !

I share the view that flying east is much worse.

Not tried melatonin though I've heard good reports; must buy some when we're in the US in a couple of months.

Definitely the worst I've ever felt was a return from LAX to LHR years ago (so flying east), and both ways LHR to AKL (so a very long flight and 12 hours time difference).

Flights now are usually LHR/NYC visiting family and flight times definitely work here. We mostly fly into EWR. Outward used to be late afternoon out, arriving early evening and that worked well - adrenaline rush of seeing family again keeps us going till 10 or 11 US time. VS changed the time to 0945, so early start, midday arrival, very long day, didn't work at all well. Hooray now changed back to late afternoon in time for our next flight in April.

We've tried the daytime flight back, doesn't work at all well, very early start so feeling a bit grim but not tired enough to sleep that night in UK. Much better for us is the evening flight back, eat in the CH, nightcap or two at the bar once we take off, then grab a few hours sleep which seems to be enough to get us through the next day in the UK.

I know some reckon that LHR/NYC isn't worth the cost of UC for the flat bed, not a long enoughflight, but for us it makes all the difference.

Another vote for Melatonin . I buy it in the USA as I think you need a prescription to get it in the UK.

You can buy Melatonin online:

http://biovea.net/uk/product_detail.asp ... tAodeRcA5A

I bought the "Gummies" to satisfy my inner child, but you can get tablets as well!

I was told

West to East is least
East to West is best

I found it true. I even stay on UK time in Hong Kong to avoid it

Another vote for Melatonin . I buy it in the USA as I think you need a prescription to get it in the UK.

You can buy Melatonin online:

http://biovea.net/uk/product_detail.asp ... tAodeRcA5A

I bought the "Gummies" to satisfy my inner child, but you can get tablets as well!

Wow - they are much cheaper in the US ! Between $6.99 & $8.99 for 90 soft gel 5mg tablets .

I also agree that flying east is worse than flying west. Flying east I generally suffer terrible jet lag, sometimes really bad lasting a few days. Flying west I seem to slot into the time zone very easily.

Never tried melatonin, but drugs can't hurt lol.

Never tried melatonin, but drugs can't hurt lol.

They are not really "drugs" as you secrete Melatonin daily from your pineal gland. More of a "top-up".

It is prescribable on the NHS for the over-55s with sleep disorders.

I know I was just being facetious (I learned a new word today)

ive never been far enough East to know how it would affect me.

Anything local in Europe, I dont adjust my clock... much to the amusement of my friends when Im complaining of getting up at 5am & being on a ski slope by 6am my time.

Going West, Ive never had problems adjusting. Usually cos of the exciting & hitting the beer & I end up staying up until 4am, go to sleep & when I wake up Im pretty set for the rest of the trip.
Coming back is always the killer for me.
Worst was my 1st trip to the states - after 3 weeks of travelling SF, LA & LV, the last night I got in to my room at 6am with my flight at 11am (local time). Had a connection in Chicago & got home in the UK at 10am GMT.. then drove 4 hours home. This was on a Saturday & I was like a zombie in work all week.

99% of my flights are UK to US.

Going out kills me. No matter what flight I get; early morning or late afternoon, for the next 10 days I wake at 03:00 (US time) and fall asleep by 19:30 / 20:00.

Returning to the UK I usually get a night flight, so land around 07:30 in the morning. It's like I've never been away; zero jet lag and back to normal pretty much as soon as I land.