Jetting off for a summer vacation? How to eat and drink to minimize jet lag

Peak travel season is bringing jet lag back into focus, and experts say it’s not only about shifting sleep schedules. When travelers cross time zones, the body’s biological clock falls out of sync, often for days, causing sleep disruption, daytime fatigue, headaches and gastrointestinal issues. Nutrition experts recommend starting a gradual adjustment of meal timing before departure—moving by 15 minutes, then 30, then an hour toward the destination time. Once there, eat on local hours and keep meals smaller around travel, per the CDC. The guidance also favors strategic caffeine use and avoiding alcohol, a major sleep disruptor.