Melatonin for Jet Lag: How It Works and What Really Helps

When you cross time zones, your body gets stuck in the wrong schedule—that’s melatonin for jet lag, a natural hormone your body makes to signal sleep, often taken as a supplement to reset your internal clock. It’s not a sleeping pill. It’s a time signal. Think of it like resetting your watch. When you fly from New York to Tokyo, your body still thinks it’s 3 AM, even though it’s noon outside. Melatonin tells your brain, it’s time to sleep, even if the sun is up.

Most people take it 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime at their destination. For eastbound trips, take it in the evening local time. For westbound, you might not even need it—your body naturally wants to stay up later. But if you’re waking up at 4 AM in Paris and can’t fall back asleep, that’s when melatonin helps. Studies show it cuts jet lag symptoms by about half, especially for trips crossing three or more time zones. It’s not magic, but it’s one of the few things that actually works without side effects like drowsiness the next day.

It’s not just about the pill. Your circadian rhythm, your body’s 24-hour internal clock that controls sleep, hunger, and body temperature responds to light. So if you’re taking melatonin but sitting in bright hotel lights after midnight, you’re fighting yourself. Get outside in natural daylight as soon as possible. Skip the screens. Even a 20-minute walk helps your brain catch up. And don’t overdo the melatonin—0.5 to 3 mg is enough. More doesn’t mean better. Some people feel groggy or get weird dreams. Others don’t feel a thing. Everyone’s different.

There’s a reason melatonin shows up in so many travel blogs and doctor’s offices: it’s simple, cheap, and doesn’t interact badly with most meds. But it’s not the only tool. People who fly often also use sleep masks, earplugs, and caffeine timing. Some even adjust their sleep schedule a few days before flying. Melatonin works best when it’s part of a plan—not a last-minute fix.

What you’ll find below are real stories and facts from people who’ve been there: the mom who flew with kids across six time zones, the nurse who switched shifts after a long-haul flight, the athlete who needed to compete the next day. Some tried melatonin and swore by it. Others found it useless. A few discovered that timing mattered more than the dose. You’ll see what works, what doesn’t, and why.