Beat Jet Lag in 48 Hours: Science-Backed Light guide for East & West Travel (2025)
Beat Jet Lag in 48 Hours: The Complete Light Protocol Guide
Your step-by-step roadmap for conquering jet lag based on your exact travel direction and timing
You know that feeling after a long-haul flight...
Your body feels like it's been hit by a truck.
Your brain is foggy.
You're exhausted but can't sleep.
Wide awake when you should be dreaming.
Here's what most people don't realize: You're fighting against 3.8 billion years of evolution.
Why Your Direction of Travel Changes Everything
Ever notice how most jet lag advice sounds the same?
"Drink lots of water." "Try to sleep on the plane." "Take melatonin."
Here's the problem with this advice:
It completely ignores the root cause.
Your circadian rhythm isn't controlled by hydration.
It's not controlled by supplements.
It's controlled by light.
And not just any light...
The right light, at the right time.
Get this wrong, and you'll actually extend your jet lag.
Get it right, and you'll feel amazing within 48 hours.
The Power of Light: Your Most Important Tool
Light exposure is hands down the most powerful way to reset your circadian rhythm. Your body uses light as its primary signal to determine when it should be awake or asleep. The key is knowing when to seek light and when to avoid it based on your travel direction.
FLYING EAST: The Complete Guide
3 DAYS BEFORE YOUR EASTBOUND FLIGHT
Your Goal: Use light to shift your clock earlier: You will end up sleeping 3 hours earlier and waking up 3 hours earlier
The Protocol:
- Shift your bedtime 1 hour earlier each day (up to 3 hours total)
- Shift your wake time 1 hour earlier each day (matching your bedtime)
- Eat meals 1 hour earlier each day
- Use Nighttime Circadian glasses 2 hours before your NEW target bedtime each day
- Get morning sunlight as soon as you wake up
When You're Waking Up Before Sunrise
When your new wake time becomes before sunrise at some point, use these tools to trigger alertness and help advance your clock:
- Move Your Body: Get your heart rate up and break a sweat, even in darkness. Raising your core temperature tells your body it's time to be alert.
- Shock Yourself Awake: A quick blast of cold water will increase your adrenaline and cortisol and send a clear signal that it's morning.
- Fake the Sunrise (Only if You Must): If natural light isn't an option, use bright artificial light to mimic the dawn and nudge your clock forward.
Day 1: Sleep at 10 PM, wake at 6 AM, glasses at 8 PM
Day 2: Sleep at 9 PM, wake at 5 AM, glasses at 7 PM
Day 3: Sleep at 8 PM, wake at 4 AM, glasses at 6 PM
(This gets you 3 hours closer to London time before you even fly!)
DURING YOUR EASTBOUND FLIGHT
If Your Flight Departs in the Evening/Night - Recommended if you are flying East
Example: 10 PM NYC departure = 3 AM London Time
Hour 1-3 after takeoff: (3:00 am to 6:00 am London Time)
- Stay fasted on the plane
- Keep you Vivarays Nighttime Red glasses on
3+ Hours into flight (From 6:00 am onward London Time):
- Switch to the Daytime Circadian glasses
- Allow as much light exposure as possible - this helps signal "morning" to your brain
- Stay awake if possible since it's now "daytime" at your destination
If Your Flight Departs During the Day
Example: 2 PM NYC departure, arriving 3 AM London time
At takeoff (2 PM NYC = 7 PM London):
Best to Fast Before Your Flight
Air travel puts your body under a lot of stress: low humidity, reduced oxygen, noise, EMF's all take a toll. When you eat on the plane, your body diverts precious energy toward digestion instead of dealing with these stressors. Fasting allows your system to focus fully on adaptation and recovery.
If You Can't Fast:
Time your last meal before departure to match your usual dinner time at your destination.
Example: If you normally eat dinner at 6 PM, have your final meal at 1 PM NYC time before your flight. (This will be 6:00 PM London time) This way, you'll help your body start syncing with the new time zone before you even land.
- Wear the Evening Circadian glasses (it's evening in London)
- Stay awake and alert
3-4 hours into flight (5-6 PM NYC = 10-11 PM London):
- Put on Nighttime Circadian Glasses (it's now "bedtime" in London)
- Try to sleep since it's "nighttime" in London
Landing (around 10 PM NYC = 3 AM London):
- Keep Nighttime or Evening Circadian Glasses on since it's the middle of the night in London
- Avoid bright airport lights
- Continue fasting until Sunrise the following morning when you wake up
- Go to bed as soon as you arrive and blackout your bedroom
The idea here is to follow your destination schedule
AFTER LANDING EASTBOUND
Day 1: The Critical First 24 Hours
Morning: Step bare-footed on the ground and get bright sunlight immediately - 20+ minute walk outside. This signals to your body that it's time to be awake in the new time zone.
Afternoon: Continue normal light exposure
After sunset: Dim lights, Wear your VivaRays Circadian Glasses after sunset.
Food Protocol Day 1:
- Break your fast at destination breakfast time: Have your first full meal coincide with breakfast or lunch in the new time zone
- Time your Lunch and Dinner to new destination in London and avoid snacking
- Recent studies show this approach can cut jet lag recovery time by about one-third
Smart Hydration and Substance Strategy
- Stay Hydrated: Drink plenty of mineral-rich water before and during your flight. This helps counter the natural dehydration that happens in the dry, low-humidity high EMF environment while traveling on the plane
- Limit Alcohol: Alcohol can fragment your sleep, slow down recovery, and worsen dehydration, all of which make jet lag harder to beat.
- Skip the Caffeine: Caffeine is a diuretic, adding to dehydration. Your body is already under extra stress from cabin pressure, low oxygen, and exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs), so it's best to give it a break.
Movement Protocol Day 1:
- Take a 20-minute walk in sunlight (morning or afternoon depending on time zone difference)
- If drowsy in afternoon, do light exercise instead of napping
- No intense workouts within 3 hours of bedtime
FLYING WEST: The Complete Guide
3 DAYS BEFORE YOUR WESTBOUND FLIGHT
Your Goal: Use light to start shifting your body clock later. You will end up sleeping 3 hours later and waking up 3 hours later
The Protocol before you travel:
- Shift your bedtime 1 hour later each day (up to 3 hours total)
- Shift your wake time 1 hour later each day (matching your bedtime)
- Eat meals 1 hour later each day
- Extend evening light exposure (stay in bright artificial light longer)
- Use blue light blockers closer to your NEW bedtime each day. You will delay your use of your Vivarays glasses by an hour everyday (up to 3 hours total)
By departure day, your body clock will already be shifted, making it much easier to adjust once you arrive.
AFTER LANDING WESTBOUND
Day 1: The Critical First 24 Hours
Morning: Step bare-footed on the ground and get bright sunlight immediately - 20+ minute walk outside. This signals to your body that it's time to be awake in the new time zone.
Afternoon: Continue normal light exposure
After sunset: Dim lights, Wear your VivaRays Circadian Glasses after sunset.
Food as Medicine: Meal Timing for Faster Recovery
Emerging research shows that when you eat can significantly influence your circadian rhythms. Your digestive system has its own internal clock that responds to meal timing.
Switch to Local Meal Times Immediately
As soon as you arrive, start eating on the destination's schedule:
- Morning arrival? Have a normal breakfast at local time, even if your body thinks it's midnight
- Avoid late-night eating: Don't have heavy meals at odd hours in the new location
Movement and Exercise: Your Energy Reset Button
When you're feeling sluggish from jet lag, exercise might seem impossible, but it's actually one of your best tools for adjustment.
Exercise in Daylight for Double Benefits
- Get moving outdoors: A brisk walk in sunshine combines light exposure with physical activity
- Morning exercise works best: If you wake up too early, use that time for a morning jog or stretches in the sun
- Combat in-flight stiffness: Stand and move during long flights to improve circulation
Timing Matters
- Favor daytime activity: Morning or afternoon exercise helps signal it's daytime in the new location
- Avoid late-night workouts: Strenuous evening exercise might keep you awake when you're trying to wind down
- Use movement as an alternative to napping: If you're drowsy in the afternoon but trying not to sleep, light exercise can keep you alert
The Tool That Makes All the Difference
Here's the thing about protocols...
They only work if you can actually follow them.
And when you're traveling, you don't always have control over your light environment.
That's where having the right tools becomes critical.
Quality blue light blocking glasses aren't just a nice-to-have.
They're essential.
They give you control over your light exposure no matter where you are.
Bright airport terminal at midnight? Put on your red lenses.
Trying to sleep on an overnight flight? Red or Orange lenses filter out the cabin lighting.
Want to avoid all the inflammatory light at the airport? The daytime circadian glasses do just that! They harmonize the junk light
The Bottom Line
Jet lag doesn't have to derail your travel plans or leave you feeling miserable for days. By understanding how your circadian rhythm works and strategically using light, darkness, sleep timing, food, and movement, you can dramatically reduce jet lag symptoms and adjust to new time zones faster than ever before.
The key is having a plan before you travel and sticking to it once you arrive. These aren't just theoretical concepts – they're proven strategies based on the latest circadian science research. Your future well-rested, energized traveler self will thank you for taking the time to master these techniques.
Remember, every time zone crossed is an opportunity to practice these skills. Soon enough, beating jet lag will become second nature, and you'll be able to step off any long-haul flight ready to make the most of your destination from day one.
Safe travels!
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