What jet lag does to your body - and how to cope
• How airline pilots beat jet lag
• How to sleep like an Olympic athlete (should)
• Do you need less sleep as you age?
Your main aim is to get your body clock in sync with your new destination as soon as possible. Some people swear by changing their watch to their new time zone as soon as they get on a flight. And there is evidence that while you are en route, eating meals according to the time at your destination makes a difference too.
This isn't always easy to do on a plane because unless you're lucky enough to be in first class you don't get to choose what to eat and when. But eating at local mealtimes from arrival onwards still helps to shift the peripheral circadian clocks in the liver and the pancreas, helping to regulate your metabolism.
