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Sleep and jet lag

How to beat jet lag, sleep on a plane, nap well and time your caffeine, with what sleep research says about body clocks, light and sleep cycles.

  1. Surya Narayanan · · 5 min readHow to get over jet lag: a day-by-day planHow long jet lag lasts, and a day-by-day plan to beat it: shift before you go, switch to local time on board, and use light, sleep and meals when you land.Read
  2. Surya Narayanan · · 3 min readMelatonin for jet lag: what the evidence saysWhat research says about melatonin for jet lag: how it works, the Cochrane review's findings on timing and dose, where it's sold, and when to ask a doctor.Read
  3. Surya Narayanan · · 2 min readRed-eye flights: how to arrive restedHow to get the most sleep on an overnight flight and get through the day you land: when to book, what to skip on board, and how to handle arrival day.Read
  4. Surya Narayanan · · 3 min readSleep cycles explained: why 90 minutes mattersSleep runs in cycles of about 90 minutes through light, deep and REM sleep. What happens in each stage, why waking at a cycle's end helps, and how many you need.Read
  5. Surya Narayanan · · 3 min readCaffeine half-life: when to have your last coffeeCaffeine's half-life is about five hours, so afternoon coffee is still working at bedtime. What's left of a cup over time, what changes it, and when to stop.Read
  6. Surya Narayanan · · 3 min readHow long should a power nap be?The best power nap is 10 to 20 minutes, or a full 90. What the research found, when to nap, how the coffee nap works, and how to nap well.Read
  7. Surya Narayanan · · 4 min readHow to sleep on a plane: 12 tips that workTwelve tips for sleeping on a plane: the best seat, a sleep kit that works, timing sleep to your destination, and what to avoid, from alcohol to the seat-back screen.Read
  8. Surya Narayanan · · 3 min readLight and jet lag: when to seek daylight, and when to hideLight moves your body clock, but timing is everything. How light shifts it earlier or later, why early sun can backfire after flying east, and a guide by trip.Read
  9. Surya Narayanan · · 3 min readThe best time of day to work, by chronotypeAlertness peaks mid-morning for most people, but your chronotype moves the curve. When to do deep work, routine tasks and meetings, and how to plan around your peak.Read
  10. Surya Narayanan · · 2 min readWhy jet lag is worse when you fly eastFlying east usually hits harder than flying west. Why your body clock prefers to run late, how long adjusting takes, and what actually helps.Read
  11. Surya Narayanan · · 3 min readSocial jet lag: jet lag without leaving homeSocial jet lag is the weekly shift between work-day and free-day sleep. How to measure yours, why it matters, who gets it most, and how to reduce it.Read

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