Understand the source comparison
Melatonin Jet Lag Protocol: Eastward vs Westward Comparison
Eastward (e.g., New York → London, +5 hours) Destination bedtime, starting 1 night before travel 0.5–1.5mg immediate-release Morning light at destination; avoid early morning light at origin in days before travel 3–5 days for full adaptation Melatonin advances
No winner is assigned.
This page preserves a source comparison for education. It does not add a rating, recommendation or clinical judgment.
- Eastward (e.g., New York → London, +5 hours)
- Destination bedtime, starting 1 night before travel
- 0.5–1.5mg immediate-release
- Morning light at destination; avoid early morning light at origin in days before travel
- 3–5 days for full adaptation
- Melatonin advances circadian phase when taken 5–7 hours before habitual sleep onset; morning light at destination reinforces the advance
- Westward (e.g., London → Los Angeles, −8 hours)
- Upon waking at destination, OR 1–2 hours after origin CBTmin
- 0.5–1.0mg immediate-release
- Evening light at destination; avoid morning light for first 2–3 days
- 2–4 days for full adaptation
- Melatonin delays circadian phase when taken after CBTmin; evening light exposure at destination delays the clock further to match local time
- No Time Zone Change (same longitude travel)
- No melatonin needed
- N/A
- Maintain usual light exposure patterns
- Immediate. No circadian disruption
- Travel fatigue is not jet lag; melatonin does not address non-circadian fatigue
- Minimal Shift (<3 time zones)
- Optional; most adapt naturally within 48 hours
- 0.3–0.5mg if used
- Standard light exposure at destination
- 1–2 days without intervention
- Circadian system can self-correct small phase shifts without pharmacological assistance
- Professional Assessment
- Eastward travel requires more aggressive intervention due to circadian system's resistance to phase advances
- Lower doses (0.5mg) often outperform higher doses (3–5mg) when timing is correct
- Light is the primary zeitgeber; melatonin amplifies light-driven shifts but cannot replace mistimed light exposure
- Adaptation speed depends on adherence to both melatonin AND light protocols. Neither alone is sufficient for rapid recovery
- Melatonin works as a chronobiotic, not a sedative; efficacy is timing-dependent, not dose-dependent beyond receptor saturation threshold