The science behind jet lag and how to recover from it

Ciao Reader,

We’ve returned home from a trip to the land of the midnight sun- that’s right - Alaska! We spent almost 5 weeks in Alaska, visiting with family and soaking up the mild weather (and our Mom's amazing cooking). Every summer we try to spend some time in a region with cooler temperatures and escape the heat and humidity of Italy - this was a smart move this year, and we managed to miss most of the intense heat wave. Make no mistake about it, though, it’s still very hot and very humid here in Italy, and we're still looking at several extremely hot warning days in the forecast for August. We might sound like a broken record here, but if you can avoid it, don’t come to southern Europe in July and August; it’s too hot for comfort!
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For us, a visit to Alaska isn’t the same as traveling to an unfamiliar destination because we used to live there and still have plenty of family there. Time in Alaska is time to rest, reset, and fill our cups with quality family time in one of the most beautiful settings in the world. The above photo was taken from the dock at our Aunt's cabin; this is one of our most favorite spots in the world.
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Alaska and Italy have a 10-hour time difference, and let us tell you, “that was some of the worst jet lag ever!” Dealing with the jet lag upon our return to Italy made us curious about the science behind jet lag, how long it takes to recover, and the best (science-backed) ways to combat the symptoms. We did some research, and we have some facts and tips to share with you later in this newsletter.

Spotlight: New blog post about the best things to do in Lucca, Italy In this new post, we're talking about ​all the things to do in Lucca and the best way to do them​. If we think taking a tour is the best way, we will tell you exactly which tour to take. If a tour isn’t the best way, then we'll tell you how to do it on your own. This clear and direct path will make it easy for you to plan time in Lucca without sifting through hundreds of search results.

Rail and air strikes in Italy, August & September 2026 update

We know we bring this up often; it’s probably in the top 3 topics that we are asked about - train strikes in Italy. At this time, we’re not seeing any planned strikes for rail or air in August. We do see a few in September, none of which are national strikes. Below we’ve listed a few of those; for more info on planned train and air strikes, visit the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transportation website. Read more about what to do if there is a train strike in Italy here.

In September, the top strikes to note are:

• Sept. 5th: Venice local public transport 4-hour strike (4 pm to 8 pm)
• Sept. 7th-8th: Piedmont (regional) 24-hour rail strike (beginning at 9:18 pm on the 7th)
• Sept. 13th: Rome airports (Ciampino and Fiumicino) 24-hour ADR security staff strike. We don’t think this will affect flights, but it could affect efficiency within the airport, so expect longer waits for anything involving security (12 am to 11:59 pm). ADR is the Aeroporti di Roma private security company that handles security management similar to TSA, but it is not a government entity.
• Sept. 15th: Naples local public (including railway) strike for 4 hours (12:45 pm - 4:45 pm). AND in the Florence basin, a local/territorial public transport strike for 24 hours (12 am to 11:59 pm)

*We recommend periodically checking the ministry's website because strikes can be cancelled, rescheduled, or added at any time.

How long does it take to recover from jet lag, and what can you do for yourself in the meantime?

Jet lag is the absolute worst part of travel and can negatively impact your experience; we’ve even had people tell us that they won’t travel far because they can’t handle the jet lag! Don’t miss out on a bucket list item or trip you’ve always dreamed of; try some of the tips below for recovery and enjoy more of your trip.

Fun facts about jet lag:

• It’s easier to recover when you are flying west because it extends your day, while flying east shortens your day.
• Jet lag doesn’t only affect humans; it affects animals and even plants!
• Your stomach and other digestive organs can get upset because they have their own clocks.
• Recovery time depends on how many time zones you cross and the direction you are flying.

It takes roughly one day per hour of time zone difference to recover from jet lag. For example, if there is a 10-hour difference, you can expect a 7-10 day recovery time. This doesn’t mean that all of those 7-10 days will be uncontrollable exhaustion; it gets easier as the days go by. If you fly west, it will be just under 1 day/hour difference. If you fly east, it could take as many as 1.5 days/hour difference. Upon our return to Italy from Alaska (10-hour difference), the first few days were the hardest, but by day 7, we were just getting a little tired in the afternoon.

How do you know if you’re jet-lagged? Common symptoms include: Insomnia Daytime fatigue Concentration issues Digestive discomfort Mood shifts One less common symptom is to actually feel sick, like you have the flu when you don’t

Tricks for jet lag recovery:

☀️ Get sunlight - when you arrive in your new location, step outside during the day; if you spend most of the daylight hours inside a museum, you will feel more tired. If you can, mix up your indoor and outdoor activities the first few days of your trip so that you can get daylight. This will help reset your internal clock and your circadian rhythm. Get sun in the morning and don’t go to bed until it’s dark (unless, of course, you are in a place where the sun sets at midnight; see our note on eye masks).

• Pro tip: Take your meals outside when you can; this is an easy way to get sunlight without trying. We also like to walk anywhere that we can; the movement gives you some energy, and you’re outside - more sunlight!

💤 Don’t take long naps (honestly, this is true most of the time no matter where you are). Long naps can make it hard to sleep at night, and you need a good night's sleep to recover from jet lag properly. We’re not saying don’t nap, just don’t take a long nap. If you need a nap, try to keep it to 20 minutes; we know this sounds short, but a 20-minute nap can help reset your brain and give you the push you need to get through the day.

• Pro tip: If you’re feeling sleepy in the middle of the day but aren’t in a position to get a short nap in, take a short walk. A 15-minute walk may help you feel refreshed and ready to push through; it’s also a great way to see more of the city you’re in.

🍕 Eat and sleep on local time - this is crucial. The day you arrive in a new destination, stay awake until the locals go to bed. We know this can be hard, but if you can power through the first day, it will help you sleep better and reset your clock quicker. Eating is a part of our daily rhythm, and doing it when the locals are will help you get in step with the new time zone.

• Pro tip: try to get a short nap in on the plane before you land; the combination of this and your adrenaline/excitement when you arrive may just be enough to power you through the day that you arrive.

💧 Drink lots of water - water is an important tip for flying in general; it’s good for circulation and flushing your system. Showing up hydrated is key to feeling fresh upon arrival. Keep yourself hydrated after you arrive, and you’ll find that you are more alert and recovery from jet lag is just a bit easier.

• Pro tip: Only drink water on the plane. We know that the complimentary wine is hard to resist, but be honest, it’s not even that good! Alcohol and soda/pop both cause dehydration. Also, do you really want to be putting a carbonated beverage in your body while you are in a high-pressure cabin? The answer is no, no you don’t - this will mean immediate discomfort.

🙈🙉 Eye masks and earplugs - these can be a lifesaver if you’re having trouble sleeping when you should be in your destination. You’re in an unfamiliar place; maybe there are garbage trucks outside, or you can hear the quiet hum of the ice machine across the hall; get a comfortable pair of earplugs to block that out. We like it dark when we sleep, like a cave; we can’t even handle a small red light on a TV set; instead we bring eye masks. Eye masks also come in handy if you’re going north in the summer where the sun sets super late and comes back up super early.

• Pro tip: find earplugs that are contoured and comfortable for your ears (we like the Macks brand). Your eye mask should have concave spaces for your eyes so that you can move your eyeballs and blink with the mask on. Both of these are great on the ground and on a plane or train. We even use earplugs on planes and trains when we aren’t sleeping, just to soften some of the noise, which can often be overstimulating.

🥱 Melatonin - if you aren’t familiar, melatonin is naturally produced by your body and essentially tells your body that it’s time to sleep. Melatonin should not be used on a daily basis but is perfect for jet lag or if you have a project at work that is keeping you up at night. Melatonin will help you fall asleep and stay asleep without feeling groggy when you wake up. This can be a great tool when it’s time to go to sleep in your new destination, but you can’t fall asleep. Take it shortly before bed or at bedtime.

• Pro tip: if you’re flying while it is nighttime in your destination, a low dose of melatonin (1-3 mg) may help you get a few hours of sleep during the flight, and that will set you up for success when you arrive and need to stay awake until the locals go to bed. For severe cases of jet lag, talk to your dr. about a higher dose (5 - 10 mg).

*We are not doctors; you should always talk to a dr. before you start using something like melatonin. Always read the label!

Jet lag myth: You may have heard that you should try to reset your clock before you leave, and we are here to tell you not to do that! This is a bad idea because your body will fight it; our sleep pattern or circadian rhythm is directly tied to the sun, and your body won’t understand what you are doing. If all of a sudden you start getting up at 1 am because that is when it is 9 am in your destination, your body will be confused and hate you for it. You don’t want to show up for your long day of travel already exhausted.

*If you really want to try and reset your own clock before your trip, there are plenty of apps out there that will help you attempt this by suggesting when to sleep and when to get sunlight based on your travel plans. Ask yourself this though: if you would do it to get to your vacation destination, would you spend half of your vacation trying to get back in line with your home time zone? We only recommend testing this method for short trips that are only 2-3 hours out of your home time zone (Timeshifter and StopJetLag are a couple of apps you could look for).

Apps to help you fall asleep or get better sleep

• Insight Timer app - a free meditation app that will lull you to sleep with meditation bells, yoga nidra sequences, and other calming sounds.
• BetterSleep app - a white noise app with everything from the sound of rain to cats purring; pick the sound you like and set the volume just high enough to hear it without it keeping you awake.
• Uplift app - relies on biorhythmic acupressure. Once you’re in your destination, it will give you a few exercises (with an instructional video). The idea is that you will put pressure on different parts of your body to help you adjust naturally to the new time zone. Full disclosure, we haven’t tried this one yet, but it does sound intriguing, and reviewers have said that they noticed a difference.

Did we leave something out? What are you doing to combat jet lag in your vacation destination and when you arrive home? We want to hear from you; reply to this email and tell us what your go-to move is for fighting jet lag.

We want to hear from you. If you have any questions about travel, please send us an email or reply directly to this newsletter. We’re happy to help.

New/Updated Posts On The Blog

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​Custom travel planning services​ If you need help planning your trip and either want a rough itinerary to get you started, or would like to have a custom travel plan, visit our NEW site ​twicethetravelplanner.com​

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Tips to help you plan your next trip:

• ​Flight booking like a pro​
• ​Navigating Italy by train​
• ​What to do if there is a train strike in Italy​
• ​How to plan an international trip​
• ​Have us plan your next trip​

Get inspired by our city guides to plan your time in Italy:

• ​What you need to know about Cinque Terre​
• ​Visiting Tuscany in the spring​
• ​Experience the slow life in Calabria​
• ​Best things to do in Rome​
• ​Best things to do in Florence​
• ​Best things to do in Lucca​
• ​Your hub to the Veneto region is Padua​
• ​One day in Milan​

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