Jetting off for a summer vacation? How to eat and drink to minimize jet
lag
[July 27, 2026]
By LAURA UNGAR
Jet lag threatens to turn even a dream vacation into a slog.
And with peak travel season underway, millions of people may have to
contend with this disorienting condition, which can cause sleep
disturbances, daytime tiredness, headaches and nasty gastrointestinal
symptoms.
But you can minimize the effects of jet lag — and not just by adjusting
your sleep-wake schedule. What and how you eat and drink can make a
difference too.
Jet lag occurs when your body’s biological clock is out of sync with the
time zone you find yourself in. Usually, environmental cues such as
sunrises and sunsets help set your internal clock. But when you cross
time zones, it may take a few days for your body to adjust.
“I’ve personally experienced pretty severe jet lag before,” during two
European trips, said Tara Schmidt, a registered dietitian at Mayo Clinic
in Rochester, Minnesota. “It really kind of ruined the first few days of
my vacation.”
Eat on the local schedule at your destination
While symptoms of jet lag vary, digestive problems such as bloating,
constipation or diarrhea are not uncommon, said Joanne Slavin, a
nutrition expert at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.
One way to minimize jet lag is to begin gradually shifting the timing of
your meals as you get ready for travel. Schmidt suggested first moving
them by 15 minutes, then a half hour, then an hour closer to the
destination time zone.
Then, after you get where you're going, eat when the locals eat.
If it’s morning, have breakfast. A hearty one aligned with your new time
zone can help you recover from jet lag, a 2023 study co-authored by
Northwestern University researchers suggests.
As the day goes on, keep to the same schedule, having lunch and dinner
at times appropriate for the location.
“Immediately go on your new schedule,” Slavin said.
To avoid stomachaches, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention advises keeping meals smaller just before and during travel.
Schmidt said this is particularly important in the early days of a trip.
“Smaller meals tend to be more easily tolerated for people, especially
if you have a sensitive stomach or maybe are dealing with some of those
GI discomforts,” Schmidt said.
Later in the trip, she said, you may be able to ease into eating more at
one sitting. Just be mindful about foods that you might not be used to,
especially greasy or high-fat items.
“Enjoying a meal abroad is so fun, especially when you’re experiencing a
new culture, a new food,” she said.
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A plane lands at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in
Arlington, Va., Dec. 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)
 Watch what you drink on vacation
It’s also best to skip that glass of wine or pint of beer.
“As fun as it is sometimes when we travel, we really do endorse
avoiding alcohol because alcohol is such a huge sleep disruptor,”
Schmidt said.
Another pro tip: Use caffeine strategically. If you normally have a
cup of coffee or tea in the morning, it’s fine to do that while
traveling. But don’t have caffeine so late in the day that it will
keep you up. And be aware that both caffeine and alcohol can make
you more dehydrated.
“Dehydration can certainly worsen fatigue and those perceived jet
lag symptoms,” Schmidt said.
Drink water before, during and after your flight to combat the
effects of dry cabin air. At your destination, eight glasses of
water a day is a good, easy-to-remember goal, but keep in mind that
some people may need more fluids, others less, depending on things
like weather and exercise. Cleveland Clinic experts suggest choosing
bottled water if you have any questions about water safety.
When the trip is over, get back to your normal schedule
Experts say how and what you consume while traveling is only part of
the equation for minimizing jet lag. But these changes complement
the better known tips for adjusting your sleep schedule to the new
time zone.
When your vacation begins winding down, the advice is much the same
for sleep and eating: Ease back into your normal schedule and try to
fully resume it at home.
“The sooner you get back to it, to all of your habits,” Slavin said,
“the better off you’re going to be.”
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