Avoiding Jet Lag on Short Trips: When Not to Adjust

By the time the body starts adjusting on a 48-hour trip, you are flying home. The middle path is to stay close to home time and borrow only the local cues that matter for the meeting window.

Identify the meeting window

Mark the hours that have to be sharp. Plan the trip so those hours fall during a slot where the home clock is naturally alert.

Sleep when you can

A solid block at a slightly off-local hour beats a fragmented attempt at "correct" local bedtime. Dark, cool, quiet — non-negotiable.

Light and caffeine, used sparingly

Outdoor light only during the meeting window. Normal coffee at home-clock morning. Avoid piling on caffeine because of the trip.

When to adjust anyway

Trips longer than 3–4 days, or small enough shifts that adjusting is cheap, flip the math toward a normal adjustment plan.