Flying east or west makes a difference to jet lag Your circadian rhythm (body clock) is less confused if you travel westward. This 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).

Flying west is generally considered "better" because it is biologically easier to lengthen your day than to shorten it. When traveling west, you are essentially "chasing the sun," which delays your internal circadian clock and extends the length of your day. Most people's natural body clocks have a cycle slightly longer than 24 hours, meaning they are more comfortable staying up later than waking up much earlier. Conversely, flying east requires you to "advance" your clock, forcing you to go to bed and wake up several hours before your body is ready, which typically results in more severe and longer-lasting jet lag. This is why a flight from New York to Los Angeles (westward) usually feels much easier to recover from than the return trip to New York (eastward), as your body naturally adapts to the "extra time" granted by the westward transition.