According to the NHS, crossing one or two time zones doesn't usually cause jet lag. Three to six time zones results in mild jet lag, and crossing seven to 12, to destinations like Mexico or Bali, will result in the strongest effect.
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Sleep Foundation notes that jet lag happens when we travel across three or more time zones. And, there's bad news for anyone traveling from the U.S. to Europe: jet lag is worse when you travel east than it is when you travel west. Why is this?
Flying east or west makes a difference to jet lagThis is because travelling west 'prolongs' the body clock's experience of its normal day-night cycle (the normal tendency of the body clock in most of us is slightly longer than 24 hours). Travelling eastwards, however, runs in direct opposition to the body clock.
Jet lag symptoms usually occur within a day or two after traveling across at least two time zones. Symptoms are likely to be worse or last longer the farther you travel. This is especially true if you fly east. It usually takes about a day to recover for each time zone crossed.
But pilots are not robots, and they rarely become completely adjusted, says Landells. “Sensible rostering helps but if you are a long-haul pilot you know that for at least half your days off between flights you are going to feel awful.
Most people find that jet lag is worse when traveling east than it is when traveling west. View Source . Jet lag differs based on the direction of travel because it's generally easier to delay your internal clock than advance it.
Most people find that jet lag is worse when traveling east than it is when traveling west. View Source . Jet lag differs based on the direction of travel because it's generally easier to delay your internal clock than advance it. Jet lag does not occur on north-south flights that do not cross multiple time zones.
Limit naps in the days following your arrival.If you need it, taking a short nap can help you stay awake during the day. But napping for more than 30 minutes can keep you from falling asleep at night. Try to stay awake until your normal bedtime and get up on time the next day.
On arrival, stay awake until an early local bedtime.
If you doze off at 4 p.m. and wake up at midnight, you've accomplished nothing. Plan a good walk until early evening. Jet lag hates fresh air, daylight, and exercise.
Common ways pilots avoid jetlag is staying hydrated, good rest, avoiding caffeine and alcohol, exercising, or sleeping on the airplane. For long-haul flights airlines use multiple pilots for the flight to allow each pilot to get some rest. The more time zones that are crossed, the worse the jet lag.
If you can sleep then taking the overnight flight would be your best bet and the jet lag would be minimized. However, if you can't sleep it's going to be trouble. With the day flight there is a less chance of getting jet lag but you would have to pay for a extra night in london.
If you have the choice, try to book a flight that leaves between 8 am and noon and arrives between 6 pm and 10 pm. According to this book, flights that leave late at night (10 pm-1 am) and arrive in the morning (8 am to noon) give a much bigger risk for jet lag.
According to experts, not eating while you fly can actually help to reduce jet lag. (And that's not the only thing your flight attendant won't tell you.) Turns out, traveling on a plane can do a lot of bad things to your body—including shutting your digestive system down once you reach a high altitude.
In addition to shift work, the two types of employees who work on aircraft, pilots (also known as flight deck or flight crew) and cabin crew (also commonly known as flight attendants), regularly experience jet lag. This further increases their risk of adverse health outcomes, particularly fatigue and sleepiness.