Jet Lag Recovery Calculator
Beat time zone fatigue. Estimate your recovery time, calculate time zone differences, and get a personalized day-by-day sleep and light exposure schedule to reset your circadian rhythm.
Flight & Sleep Profile
Enter your travel details and normal routine
Enter the UTC offset (e.g., -5, 0, +8). Negative is West, Positive is East.
Enter the UTC offset of your destination.
Approximate total travel time including layovers.
Gradual is easier on the body; Fast is for short trips where you need to adapt immediately.
Recovery Plan
Your personalized circadian reset schedule
Enter your flight details and sleep routine, then click Calculate Recovery Plan to beat jet lag.
Jet Lag Recovery Guidelines
Scientific principles for resetting your circadian rhythm based on travel direction.
| Travel Direction | Recovery Rule | Light Strategy |
|---|---|---|
| Eastward (e.g., NY to London) | 1.5 days per time zone | Seek morning light immediately. Avoid bright light 3-4 hours before target bedtime. |
| Westward (e.g., London to NY) | 1 day per time zone | Seek late afternoon/evening light. Avoid bright light early in the morning. |
| North/South (Same Zone) | No jet lag | No specific light strategy needed for circadian shift, but watch for cabin dehydration. |
| Melatonin Timing | 0.5mg – 3mg dose | Take 2 hours before target bedtime at destination to advance your clock (Eastward). |
Jet Lag Recovery FAQ
Everything you need to know about beating time zone fatigue and resetting your internal clock.
Jet lag is a temporary sleep disorder caused by rapid travel across multiple time zones. It occurs because your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm), which regulates sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, and body temperature, is still synchronized to your original time zone rather than the new local time.
As a general rule, it takes about 1 to 1.5 days per time zone crossed to fully recover. For example, flying across 6 time zones may take 6 to 9 days to feel completely normal. Recovery also depends on the direction of travel, your age, and how well you manage light exposure and sleep scheduling.
Flying East requires you to advance your internal clock (go to bed and wake up earlier), which is biologically harder for humans because our natural circadian rhythm is slightly longer than 24 hours. Flying West extends your day (going to bed later), which aligns more easily with our natural tendency to stay up late, making Westward recovery roughly 50% faster.
Light is the primary cue that resets your circadian rhythm. Seeking bright light (especially sunlight) at the correct local time signals your brain to suppress melatonin and wake up. If traveling East, seek morning light and avoid evening light. If traveling West, seek late afternoon/evening light and avoid early morning light to shift your clock in the right direction.
Melatonin can be highly effective for jet lag when timed correctly. Taking a small dose (0.5mg to 3mg) about 2 hours before your target bedtime at your destination can help shift your circadian rhythm. It is generally more effective for Eastward travel to help you fall asleep earlier than your body currently wants to.