There is a wealth of info on jet lag and how to manage it. Personal anecdotes are fine, but the details matter, and they may not work for a different person.
Some things are clear:
Some things are clear:
- it is usually easier to adapt to a longer day than it is to a shorter day, so if your choice (going half-way around the world) is to have a 12h day or a 36h day, go for 36. Note that a ;person who is "freerunning" (i.e., with no time references) will tend toward a naturally longer "day" like 25h instad of 24
- the body adapts better to going to bed late rather than going to be early
- thus, traveling east (NYC to London, for example) it is best to arrive in the morning and stay up until the correct local bedtime...and allow for an extra long sleep that night
- if you are usually a night-owl, you may find it easier to travel west (making your day longer)
- West is usually the better travel direction to East, to minimize jet lag
- Being able to function occurs faster than getting your hormones back in sync; it typically take a day per time zone to get your hormones working in sync again
- be well rested before you travel; you body adapts faster if you are not already fatigued
- while travelling long distances, try and eat and sleep at the times appropriate to the new time zone you will be in.
