Jet lag remedies

Written by:

Mickey Beyer-Clausen

Co-Founder & CEO

Updated:

October 8, 2026

The jet lag remedies that work are the ones that reset your body clock: timed light, timed light avoidance and low-dose melatonin taken at the right time. Caffeine helps you stay alert. Sleeping pills, homeopathic tablets and supplements don't shift your clock. Timing is what makes a remedy work, and the wrong timing makes jet lag worse.

Jet lag is not a sleep problem. It is a body clock problem: your circadian clock is still on home time. Anything sold as a jet lag remedy should be judged on one question – does it help reset that clock?

Jet lag remedies compared

Jet lag remedies compared
Remedy	What it does	Resets your body clock?	Our verdict
Timed light and light avoidance	The strongest signal to your circadian clock	Yes – the most powerful lever	Works, if timed to your clock. Wrong timing makes jet lag worse
Melatonin (1–3 mg, fast release)	Shifts the clock earlier or later, depending on when you take it; helps sleep	Yes, when timed right	Works. Taken at bedtime by default, it can work against you
Caffeine	Keeps you alert	No	Useful in small, timed doses (40–50 mg every ~2 hours); stop early enough to sleep
Prescription sleeping pills	Help you fall asleep	No	Can make you miss the light you need. Talk to your doctor
Homeopathic tablets (e.g. No-Jet-Lag, Jetzone)	Sold to relieve symptoms	No	Not designed to shift the clock and do nothing about light timing
Supplements (magnesium, vitamins, tryptophan, cherry extract)	Claimed to ease symptoms	No evidence they do	Skip. Only melatonin has a known timing curve
IV drips	Rehydrate you	No	Fine for hydration; won't move your clock
Light therapy glasses	Deliver bright light	Yes, if timed right	Useful only with a schedule that tells you when, and when to avoid light
Jet lag app (Timeshifter)	Times light, sleep, melatonin and caffeine to your chronotype and flight	Yes – builds the plan for it	Works. First plan free

Jet lag pills: What to take, and when

The only pill with good evidence for jet lag is melatonin. Use a low-dose (1–3 mg) fast-release, melatonin-only product from a reputable pharmacy. When you take it matters more than how much. See Melatonin for jet lag: type, dose and timing and the best melatonin for timeshifting.

Sleeping pills may knock you out on the plane, but they don't shift your clock. They can also make you sleep through the light you need. Once your clock is reset, you sleep at your normal time without them.

Do homeopathic jet lag pills work?

Homeopathic tablets such as No-Jet-Lag and Jetzone are sold for jet lag symptoms. They are not designed to reset your circadian clock, and they do nothing about when you see light – the main cause of how long jet lag lasts.

Jet lag supplements

Vitamin C, B vitamins, omega-3, magnesium, tryptophan and cherry extract have all been sold for jet lag. None has evidence that it resets the clock. Melatonin is the only substance with a known phase response curve, so it is the only one anyone knows how to time.

Caffeine and light for jet lag

Caffeine doesn't reset your clock, but small, well-timed doses help you stay awake when you need to see light. Light glasses and lamps can help too – bright light therapy shifts the clock when it is timed right, and pushes it the wrong way when it isn't.

The jet lag remedy that works: A plan

Every remedy that works depends on timing, and the right times depend on your chronotype, your sleep and your flight. That is what the Timeshifter jet lag app works out. It tells you when to seek light, when to avoid it, when to take melatonin and when to stop caffeine – and updates when your flight changes. Pair it with sunglasses and a sleep mask for light avoidance. Want to know how long your jet lag will last, and how to shorten it? Try the free jet lag calculator app.