Tips for your next trip
Eight things you can do without any app. Each one says what it is for, so you can tell what moves your clock from what only helps you feel better.
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Get outdoor light in your destination's morning. Moves the clock
Go outside within a couple of hours of waking there. Any daylight beats none. If you land after a long eastward trip, see the note on the body-clock page about when to hold off.
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Keep the evening dim. Moves the clock
In the hours before your bedtime there, lower the lights and put screens down. Bright light then tells your clock it is earlier than it is.
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Start before you fly. Moves the clock
For two or three days, shift your wake time, and your morning light with it, about an hour a day toward your destination. Heading east, go earlier. Heading west, go later.
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Switch to destination time when you board. Helps you feel better
Set your watch and phone, and sleep on the plane when it is night where you are going. Eat when it is mealtime there.
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Time your caffeine. Helps you feel better
Use it in your destination's morning. Stop at least six hours before bed: in one study, a large dose six hours before bedtime cut sleep by more than an hour, and people did not notice.
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Keep naps short. Helps you feel better
About 20 to 30 minutes, and not late in the day. Longer naps can make it harder to sleep that night.
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Go easy on alcohol. Be careful
It can make you drowsy and then fragment your sleep.
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Keep the day steady. Helps you feel better
Regular mealtimes, water, and a walk make a long day easier. They do not move your clock; light does.
Melatonin, for information only
Some travellers use it, and researchers study when it is taken. We do not recommend a dose. Ask a clinician or pharmacist, especially if you take other medicines.
Short trips
If you are away about two days or less, consider keeping your home routine.
A five-minute plan you can make yourself
Pick your usual wake time at the destination. Plan bright light in the first couple of hours after it. Plan dim, quiet hours before your bedtime there. Start shifting two or three days early. For a trip crossing many time zones east, check the body-clock page before your first morning.
When a plan is worth having
Many zones, a tight schedule, or a day that matters: the app builds this for you, on your phone, with both clocks side by side. Free during our launch period.