Handling jet lag when on an 11PM departure JFK to CDG

I ignore all of the stuff about acclimating, my only goal is to get some sun/outdoor exercise on the day I arrive, that’s it! I try to get on schedule the first day. There can be nothing better than having a lie down seat on your flight over, and I would nix the meals and eek every bit of sleep you can on the flight. I’d ask the attendant to not wake you until you want to be awakened (all the little breaks that interrupt my sleep make me irate), then grab a coffee in the airport if you need it.

No need to follow the Timeshifter recommendations if you don't think they will work for you. Being a west coast person I have much longer flights and none leave late at night. But if it were me and I had a lie flat seat I would do everything in my power to sleep on the flight, skip meals and alcohol, arrive as refreshed as I could given the circumstances and press ahead with my day (outside if possible) until an early-ish bedtime. That's the same approach I take on every east bound flight actually and it usually works for me. My jet lag is worse returning home though.

For me to travel to Europe, flights departures are always early to late evening, so there will always be jet lag. Try to be well rested on the days you before you leave. I can only sleep very little to none on overnight flights with sitting up. I'm flying premium economy later this year- not flat, but hopefully better able to recline a bit and raise up feet during my long overnight flight. I'll find out if all that extra money for a little more room makes any difference.

All I can suggest is try to spend most of your first day in Europe awake and doing something, and have a short nap, setting an alarm so you don't sleep for hours and delay your time adjustment, then get up again after your nap and do something else- go for dinner, have a walk through your neighborhood.

I have also heard, and this only works if you are not working for several days before departure or have very flexible work hours- start shifting your sleep patterns towards your European time zone before you leave. I wouldnt rely on an app- is it feed by AI?, or huge amounts of caffeine.

"Also - I've always been told to get outside and move about in the sun on the first day to get my body adjusted to the new time zone. But now I am seeing how that could be counterproductive in terms of my circadian rhythm. Thoughts?"

I have had experience getting totally messed up by getting late afternoon sunlight and that is what led me to Timeshifter in the first place. I fly from the West and have an hour's flight to SEA before my international flight. So...I landed in Amsterdam around noon-1P. Checked in, went for a walk around Vondelpark and stayed in the weak April sunshine all afternoon even choosing a food place with a terrace where I could face into the sun. That trip I was so totally screwed up circadian rhythm-wise it took me a week to stop crumping mid-afternoon. After that I follow the sunglasses on in the afternoon of arrival plan.

I'm sorry the Timeshifter seems so weird this time and that you've not had good response from the support team. I flew from ATL to Edinburgh last year and the flight left Atlanta at 1159P or something outrageous. Let me look back and see what the recommendations were for that trip. I've got to go run an errand so it will be a couple of hours.

As others have said, your best bet is to eat at the airport and then when you get on the plane get comfortable and ready for sleep as soon as that is possible. The late departure could actually be a good thing because your body will be tired and ready for bed at that late hour. Inform the flight attendant that you don’t want a meal, ask not to be disturbed, and get as much sleep as you can before landing. We did this on a Toronto to Amsterdam late flight with lie flat seats and it was amazing the difference that made when we got there!

OK, so keep in mind this was flying from Spokane to Atlanta to Edinburgh.

On the flight day:
Wake up at 4A (Pacific time)
bright Sunlight 4A-8A (Pacific Time)
Any light/no sunglasses 8A-3P (All Pacific times)

Caffeine 4A-11A (Pacific time)

Sleep 3P-4P (on the flight from Spokane to Atlanta
FLIGHT was scheduled to depart at 10:50P (Atlanta time)
Sleep 11P-3A (Atlanta time)
Caffeine 3A-6A (noon Edinburgh time)
Sunlight or light 3A-1P (1P is Edinburgh time)
Any light 1P-7P
NO light or screens 8P-9P
Bedtime 9P

I did what SAF suggested and ate in the Atlanta airport then did not eat much on the plane. I think I had the appetizer and soup (in Delta One) and then put on my sleep mask.

This worked fine for me and I did not have any jet lag issues even though I did not sleep well on that flight.

I'll add that I follow a gut physician who had a whole class on circadian rhythm. He indicated every system in your body has a different rhythm so that is why sometimes you can get your sleep in synch but your stomach is waking up hungry at 3A, hahaha!

I hope you find something that works for you!

This is the exact reason that Timeshifter did not work for me. It doesn’t work with flights. It lives in this fantasy world, where you can go to bed at whatever time you want. And of course you’r able to bring a bright light on the plane in business class to stimulate daylight all the way across the Atlantic and no one around you is going to object to that (I wouldn’t count on it.)

What I do on the Delta flight that leaves about that same time is I eat before I get on the plane, I get on the plane I put my seat back. I go to sleep when I get to Paris. I stay awake. Works for me.

I actually prefer late evening flights because it is more like my bedtime. I usually get up really early on flight day, try to get some exercise, eat dinner before the flight, and basically go to bed when I get on the plane.

I have always flown economy but still usually can get a few hours sleep with a face mask, ear plugs, and my blow up pillow.

Then I stay awake the next day.

It works pretty well for me.

I don't get jetlagged outbound from the US. When I arrive at my destination (usually early am), I take a nap, get dinner, and then go to bed early in the evening. I am usually up before dawn the next day, but it suits me fine because I like going out at sunrise. I follow the same pattern for the rest of my trip. Returning home is another matter. Takes me about a week to recover.

Just be thankful that you’re not flying from a small airport on the west coast with 2 connections and a 24+ hour travel time. I envy people on the east coast for the short travel times. But it’s worth it to live in paradise the rest of the year :)

I never sleep a wink on a plane, no matter what. Get to the hotel and drop off bags if the room isn’t ready. Explore the neighborhood. I agree with getting out in the sun. Maybe take a river cruise. Have dinner and stay awake until 9pm. Next day you’ll be right on schedule, if not awake pretty early.

Eating at the airport and sleeping as much as possible is probably your best bet.

Remember, Jet Blue now has a lounge at JFK with free food and drink. If you are flying in Mint you get access to the lounge.

https://www.jetblue.com/bluehouse