When most travelers think about jet lag, they typically associate it with the feeling after a long flight — groggy, disoriented and even a little sore. This occurs because the circadian rhythm, responsible for our body’s physical and mental responses, has been disrupted by the crossing of time zones.

While most travelers consider how they can tackle jet lag upon landing, it’s actually best to start preparing your body for the physical disruptions caused by travel prior to your flight, sometimes days before.

“Jet lag isn’t just about time zones; it’s about how we protect our brain and body’s rhythm,” shared Dr. Romie Mushtaq, a neurologist who logs more than 150,000 domestic miles annually and travels internationally three to five times a year. Mushtaq says the best way we can commit to this protection is to create rituals and routines because they “signal safety to the brain and body, helping recalibrate your circadian rhythm even when you’re crossing multiple time zones.”

In many ways, jet lag hacks can be personal, but some scientifically backed practices help your body and mind adjust after a long journey. It only takes a few mindful rituals “to help you arrive focused, calm and ready to perform,” said Dr. Mushtaq. As you experiment with what works for your mind and body, begin with these five techniques.

TIME ZONE SHIFTING
This technique helps your body gradually adjust to the time zone you’ll be traveling to, going to sleep later and waking up later to help your body gradually adjust. In general, Lulu Ge, founder of Elix, a wellness brand rooted in Chinese medicine, recommends starting a time zone shift about a week before the trip begins, but it also depends on where you’re traveling and how big the time difference is. “For example, when I go from East Coast to West Coast, I generally shift three to four days beforehand, moving my schedule back by 30 to 45 minutes each day to arrive already adapted to the new time zone,” said Ge. If you’re traveling a longer distance where you’ll experience a greater time change, you’ll need to start time zone shifting further in advance. A good rule to follow: Add a day for every hour of the time zone change.

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AIRPLANE FASTING
Choosing to fast, or in other words not eat, before and during your flight is often polarizing; however, Ge stresses that multiple studies back this jet lag-beating hack. “Fasting 12 to 16 hours before landing may help reset the circadian rhythm,” said Ge. “Known as the Argonne Anti-Jet Lag Diet, abstain from food during flight, then upon landing, eat your next meal aligned with the destination time (even if you’re not hungry).” But don’t just break your fast with any food, as heavy meals can make you feel sluggish; instead, eat something bitter. “This is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dietary hack,” explained Ge. Eat a small portion of bitter and pungent foods in your first few meals upon landing, like arugula, radish, ginger or dandelion greens.

“Bitter flavors clear heat from stress, and pungent food circulates qi; together, they detox the travel stagnation,” said Ge, who usually opts for bitter greens at breakfast.

HYDRATION
“Airplane cabins are drier than most deserts,” said Dr. Mushtaq. Even if it doesn’t feel like it at the time, think about how you feel upon landing with chapped lips, flaky skin and dry mouth after waking up from a nap or night of sleep. This means airplane cabins are also extremely dehydrating, and dehydration can amplify fatigue — both muscle and brain fog — which in turn exacerbates jet lag. To stay hydrated, Dr. Mushtaq follows a hydration ritual; drinking one full bottle of water every hour of the flight, plus electrolytes every four to six hours. This means travelers should also skip alcoholic beverages in the airline lounge, on the flight and within the first 12 hours of landing.

“Even one glass disrupts your circadian rhythm, worsens dehydration and amplifies fatigue once you land,” warned Dr. Mushtaq. If you’re a traveler who relies on a glass of wine to unwind or calm your nerves, Dr. Mushtaq suggests her routine: “I take magnesium glycinate and a small dose of melatonin 30–60 minutes before my target sleep time.”

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SUNLIGHT
When traveling across time zones, your internal clock can fall out of sync with the new light–dark cycle, which sustains biological rhythms and is essential for metabolic regulation. While you may feel tired and groggy upon landing after a long travel day, resist the urge to crawl into that comfortable hotel bed for a nap and instead spend time outside. “Light exposure is the most powerful cue for resetting your rhythm, so focusing on natural light patterns is key to faster recovery,” said Lauren Williams, director of wellness, Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in Santa Fe, which offers guests a time zone reset with morning walks through the olive groves or a gentle yoga session in an open-air pavilion to help align the body with the local time.

“Natural light gives cues to your internal clock, while movement stimulates circulation and oxygenation,” emphasized Dawn Page, spa director, Grand Hyatt Grand Cayman Resort & Spa. And it doesn’t need to be an all-day affair, but “even a 10-minute walk outside” can do wonders, said Page, adding, “Think of it as resetting your internal sunrise.” This is actually something that’s been taught by TCM Taoist practitioners in tandem with breathwork. Ge recommends facing the sunrise in your new time zone and
breathing deeply into your lower dantian (below the navel) to anchor your body clock. “The combo of light exposure and breath resets both melatonin rhythms and qi alignment,” said Ge. Both are responsible for altering the circadian rhythm in a natural way to combat the disruption caused by the flight.

IMMUNITY BOOSTS
It’s no secret how many germs we encounter in transit, from the security bins at TSA to the sneezing passenger seatednext to us, so you’ll want to take preemptive action with immunity boosts such as vitamins and adaptogens. “Before major international trips, I visit a medical clinic for a nutrient injection that includes zinc, glutathione, vitamin B12 and vitamin C,” said Dr. Mushtaq. She explained this helps strengthen immunity, support detoxification and sustain energy through long travel days, which can help you get ahead of jet lag. Ge likes to do an “adaptogenic pre-game” where, in the three to five days leading up to a trip, she starts to take adaptogenic herbs and medicinal mushrooms that harmonize circadian stress induced by time zone changes while boosting immune system health. “My favorite herbs pre-travel include reishi and Angelica sinensis,” said Ge. On the day of travel, keep an immunity supplement in your carry-on to have before the flight and then another dose for when you land.