Tips for avoiding jet lag?

To minimize jet lag, Andrew Huberman advises leveraging light exposure to adjust your circadian rhythms:

1. Morning and Evening Light Exposure:

   • Get bright light exposure within 30 minutes of waking up, ideally from sunlight. If sunlight isn’t available, use an LED drawing pad or a similar bright light source.
   • In the evening, ensure some light exposure as the sun sets to help signal to your brain that the day is ending.

2. Strategic Planning for Travel:

   • A few days before traveling, adjust your wake cycle by using bright lights upon waking up early in the morning. This prepares your internal clock for a new time zone.
   • Continue to adjust your light exposure based on your destination’s local time as soon as you arrive.
   • If you’re traveling for a very short duration, try to maintain your home schedule to reduce the impact on your circadian rhythm.

3. Temperature Minimum:

   • Understanding your "temperature minimum" — typically when your core body temperature is lowest, shortly before you typically wake up — is key to adapting to new time zones. Adjust your light exposure, meal times, and exercise around this point to help advance or delay your internal clock as needed.

4. Additional Tips:

   • If you must be awake at night, use red light to minimize disruption to your sleep hormones and circadian rhythm.
   • Staying on a consistent shift schedule for at least two weeks can also help if dealing with frequent time zone changes or shift work.

These approaches are grounded in 1 2 the understanding of how light and activity can cue our biological clocks. By proactively managing light exposure and adjusting based on your specific travel plans, you can greatly reduce the impact of jet lag.