Jet Lag Tips for Australians: How to Adjust Faster
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Australia is a long way from almost everywhere. Fly to Europe, the US or even New Zealand and your body clock arrives hours behind your luggage. This guide covers jet lag tips for Australians: how to adjust faster after a long-haul flight, when to get light, and how to wake up on time in a new time zone.
The short answer: switch to local time as soon as you land. Get daylight at the right time (morning light after flying east, evening light after flying west), keep naps under 30 minutes, drink water, and go easy on alcohol and caffeine. Expect it to take at least two or three days, and longer after flying east.
What is jet lag?
healthdirect describes jet lag as a temporary sleep disorder that can happen after travelling quickly across multiple time zones (source). Your body clock is still on home time, so you're wide awake at 2am and falling asleep at lunch.
It can be worse the more time zones you cross, especially if you travel east.
East vs west
| Direction | Example from Australia | What it feels like | When to get light |
|---|---|---|---|
| East | To New Zealand or the Americas, or home from Europe or Asia | Can't fall asleep at night, hard to get up | Early morning sunshine |
| West | To Asia, Europe or Perth, or home from the Americas | Sleepy in the evening, awake before dawn | Sunlight in the evening |
Flying east is harder because it asks you to fall asleep earlier than your body wants to. Your body clock naturally runs a little longer than 24 hours, so staying up later (flying west) is easier than going to bed earlier.
How long does jet lag last?
healthdirect says adjusting to a new time zone usually takes at least two or three days. Other sources put it at up to about a day for each time zone crossed, and slower heading east. For a trip from Sydney to London, allow the best part of a week to feel fully normal.
Before you fly
- Start well rested. Get a few good nights of sleep before you leave, rather than staying up late to pack.
- Shift your bedtime an hour or so towards your destination for a few nights, if you can.
- For a trip of only a day or two, the Sleep Health Foundation suggests staying on home time for meals and sleep where you can, rather than adjusting (source).
On the plane
- Set your watch to destination time when you board.
- Drink plenty of water. healthdirect advises avoiding alcohol and caffeine during the flight, because dehydration can make jet lag worse.
- Sleep when it's night at your destination. An eye mask and earplugs help. A wristband alarm still wakes you with earplugs in. See how to wake up with earplugs in.
When you land
- Go to local time straight away, for meals and sleep.
- Get outside in daylight at the right time for your direction of travel.
- Keep naps short. The Sleep Health Foundation suggests sleeping for no longer than 30 minutes, and being awake for at least four hours before you go to bed. See how long should a power nap be?
- Use caffeine in the morning only, and none for at least two hours before bed.
- Skip the nightcap. Alcohol disrupts normal sleep.
- Set an alarm for the morning, even if you feel like you won't need it. This is when people sleep through hotel breakfasts, tours and meetings.
What about melatonin?
Melatonin can help with jet lag for some adults when it's taken close to bedtime at the destination. In Australia, some melatonin products are available from a pharmacist without a prescription for certain adults, and others need a prescription. The rules have changed in recent years, so ask your pharmacist or GP what's right for you, especially if you take other medicines.
Coming home
The trip home counts too. Coming back from Europe or Asia means flying east, which is usually the harder direction. If you can, land a day or two before you're due back at work, get morning light, and keep to your normal bedtime. For resetting after a long trip, see how to fix your sleep schedule.
Where the Sovune Nudge fits
We make the Sovune Nudge, a vibrating alarm wristband, so we're not neutral. For long-haul travel:
- Felt, not heard. It wakes you on a plane, in a hotel or in a shared room without waking anyone else, and it works with earplugs in.
- It builds through three intensity levels over a full minute, felt rather than heard. That matters when your body thinks it's 3am.
- Three separate alarms, for a short nap, a morning wake-up and a backup.
- Up to 14 days per charge, and set on the band, so it doesn't need an app, a signal or a power adaptor every night.
- Light, at under 20 grams.
It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee. For the flight itself, see how to wake up for an early flight.
Quick answers
How do I get over jet lag fast? Switch to local time on arrival, get daylight at the right time of day, keep naps under 30 minutes, drink water and limit alcohol and caffeine.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west? East is usually worse, because you have to fall asleep earlier than your body wants to.
How long does jet lag last from Australia to Europe? Allow at least a few days, and up to about a week to feel fully normal.
Should I nap when I arrive? If you must, keep it to 30 minutes or less, and stay awake for at least four hours before bedtime.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.