gustavmahler

Choosing the flight time (if options are available) is important for me. For flights to the US (especially West coast), I try to take the late afternoon ones. I have a bit of a nap on the plane but you arrive early evening, so despite your long day, it’s not that far from bed time. Coming home, I try to take a day flight, or if not, at least one that is a bit longer from the east coast (like MIA). I try to avoid getting to London too early in the morning. Going to Asia, preferably 18:00ish departure from London gets you there lunchtime/early afternoon. Those midday departures are a bit brutal, especially if not connecting as it’s a long day ahead. Coming home I try for a day flight, but if not then the late ones are not too bad as they are long enough to sleep.

Like others have said, once on board I try to work on destination time. Going east that means getting my head down fairly soon after dinner. I try not to sleep right to the latter part of the flight if possible. Going west, I’ll have a nap after the meal and then a coffee with the second service to keep me a bit more awake, especially if it’s not an evening arrival time. On the late night departures from Asia, I’ll try to stay awake for a few hours and then sleep through to morning.

Again, I try not to stuff my face and will drink no, or very little alcohol and try to sleep according to destination time. I get very dehydrated anyway, so I will always take a large bottle of water on board. If I can avoid a 777 or 747 I will, as the newer planes really help.

I do use a mild sleeping tablet sometimes. Sleepeaze – available over the counter from Boot’s – is basically just Benadryl, so nothing scary. I will use it to help me get to sleep in Asia and it prevents me from waking up too early in the US. I usually only need it for the first night or so. On those overnight departures to Asia they help me get to sleep on the plane when it’s still early evening in Europe.

Flyerstarter

After constant travel over the last 8 years I still struggle with jet lag, I just see it as part of the job. Of course there are ways to make it easier, like avoiding the Champagne in the lounge and on route (where's the fun in that), follow the sleep/eat times of your destination the day prior, staying hydrated during the flight.

I avoid sleeping pills, I find they have a delayed affect and kick in the following day when you actually want to stay awake.

scubaccr

The day before flying trans-continental, I eat meals based on meal times where I will arrive

With a night flight / sleeper, no alcohol day before flying to aid sleep on plane, but will drink on flight day

britenbsas

Definitely. As someone who does shift work it always makes me chuckle when I hear people going on and on about how they're still adjusting to the time difference, 2 weeks after getting back from their once a year holiday!

An excellent philosophy Sir!

dwugson

You don't have to ignore alcohol but make sure you drink a full glass of water for every drink you take. If you have an overnight flight make sure you have activities the next day so you're not tempted to go to bed mid afternoon. Also, in biz or F an arrivals lounge and shower works wonders. And, if you arrive in the evening of a totally different time zone when it's your day, try to get to bed and don't be tempted to get up at 3am when you'll inevitably wake up.

World Traveller Fuss

As discussed already, separate "jet lag" (your bodily rhythms like sleep, digestion etc. being out of sync with your surroundings) and "sleep deprivation".

I usually travel to the US. BA's flights tend to leave in the afternoon arriving late afternoon/early evening. Dinner, shower & bed. Wake up fine and reset with a big breakfast.

... it's the coming back that's the bugger

The length of flight makes the biggest difference to sleep deprivation. >5000 miles equates to long enough either side of meal service to have as much sleep as you might do normally. But only the Californian routes get close to this.

• If on the West Coast, route back on a SFO/LAX nonstop. Make use of both meal services.
• Else, get the red eye flights (helps the afternoon ex-LON become late ex-US). Sleep through till breakfast (graciously accept the cup of tea, but then eyemask back on). Shower & breakfast in arrivals lounge
• If BOS/NYC, then get the early evening flight, land at dawn and go to bed at home till lunchtime - treat it like a late night eastern time. The flight is too short for proper sleep (redeye) and it's difficult to expense additional hotels & lose a day with the daytime flights (though I've found those to be great).

For cost reasons, I once had to get a longer flight landing at 6am (ATL-MIA-LHR) in economy. Departing MIA at 5pm, treating it like 10pm back home I had drinks, dinner & slept through till dawn arrival. MIA was just about long enough to get decent rest so I ended up working the whole day after a groggy display in T3 AArivals. People knock the 747s, but the headrests are far more supportive than anything else in the fleet IMO.

Of course, dousing oneself in a G&T plus red wine helps And plenty of water, sourced onboard or in the lounge.