Beating Jet Lag: A Sleep Doctor's Tips for Crossing Time Zones This Summer

Summer is travel season, and for anyone hopping time zones, that can mean trouble sleeping once you land. Michelle Drerup, who directs Behavioral Sleep Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, says jet lag happens because your body's internal clock doesn't know you've moved.

"Jet lag is a temporary disruption of your body's internal clock," Drerup said. While your body is in a new place, she said, your internal clock is still running on home time, and that mismatch can bring on sleep disruptions, daytime sleepiness, low energy, irritability and digestive issues. Already being sleep deprived going into a trip makes all of it worse, she said.

Drerup said the fix starts before you even leave. Getting enough sleep in the days leading up to a trip helps. For people flying east, she said shifting your sleep schedule a little earlier beforehand can help too, though she admits that's not always practical. Instead, she recommends focusing on habits during the trip itself.

"Things like making sure you're staying hydrated, drinking a lot of fluids, but maybe limiting alcohol, which can worsen sleep quality and, uh, make you more dehydrated," Drerup said.

She also warns against leaning too hard on caffeine. It might get you through the day, she said, but it can make falling asleep that night even harder.

Once you land, Drerup said to adjust to the local schedule as quickly as possible. On overnight flights, get as much sleep on the plane as you can. If you arrive in the morning, skip the nap, stay active and get outside.

"Getting time outdoors, natural light is the strongest cue that helps reset our circadian clock," Drerup said.