⚡ Promptolis Original · Wellness & Health
✈️ Jet Lag East-West Protocol
East-bound flight = harder adjustment (must fall asleep earlier).
Why this is epic
Jet lag isn't about 'sleeping it off' — it's a biological circadian misalignment. Light-exposure research (Andrew Huberman, Stanford chronobiology lab) shows specific timing accelerates recovery 40-60%.
East vs. west matters: east-bound requires advancing circadian rhythm (harder; only ~1hr shift/day possible). West-bound requires delaying (easier; 2hr shift/day). Different protocols.
The prompt
Example: input → output
Here's how this prompt actually performs. Real input below, real output from Claude Opus 4.
<direction>East-bound (US East Coast to Europe)</direction> <time-zones-crossed>6 hours (NYC to Paris)</time-zones-crossed> <trip-duration>7 days</trip-duration> <arrival-time-local>8am Paris time</arrival-time-local> <important-activity>Important meetings day 2 (second day in Paris), 9am-5pm</important-activity>
Pre-Flight Protocol (3 days before departure)
Goal: shift bedtime 30-60 min earlier each day for 3 days.
- 3 days out: bedtime 1 hour earlier than normal. Wake 1 hour earlier.
- 2 days out: 1.5 hours earlier.
- 1 day out: 2 hours earlier.
Morning light exposure CRITICAL — within 30 min of waking, 10-15 min outdoor light (even cloudy).
Flight Protocol
- Typical flight: evening NYC departure, overnight.
- On flight: try to sleep matching Paris time (midnight-7am Paris = when you should be sleeping).
- Avoid alcohol. Avoid heavy meal in flight. Water.
- Eye mask + earplugs + neck pillow. Bring your own; airline ones vary.
- If can't sleep: dim light, paper book, no screens. Rest even without sleep helps.
Day 1 Arrival Protocol (8am Paris arrival)
- Immediately upon arrival: 20-30 min outdoor bright light. Walk, sit outside cafe. Anchors circadian to local time.
- Small breakfast locally. Don't pass out in hotel — that locks you to wrong cycle.
- Stay awake until at least 8-9pm local time. Rough but critical for adjustment.
- 20-min power nap OK early afternoon (1-2pm). Set alarm; do not exceed.
- Don't consume caffeine after 2pm local.
- Light dinner, walk outside if possible (evening light exposure still helps on arrival day).
- Bed at 10-11pm local. Likely sleep deeply from exhaustion.
Day 2-5 Adjustment
Day 2 (meetings): protected day.
- Wake 6:30am. Light exposure immediately.
- Coffee for meeting energy; cutoff 2pm.
- Meetings 9am-5pm should be manageable given sleep the night before.
- Evening: normal adjustment routine. Bed 10-11pm.
Day 3-5: circadian typically adjusted. Minor fatigue lingers but functional.
Full adjustment: 5-7 days for 6-hour east-bound shift. Body physically can only shift 1 hour/day east-bound.
Key Light Exposure Timing
East-bound, Paris local time:
- Morning (6-10am local): bright light — outdoor, or bright full-spectrum light if cloudy. Anchor.
- Afternoon (2-5pm local): optional outdoor. Pleasant but not critical.
- Evening (after 7pm local): dim lights. Avoid bright screens. Phone at lowest brightness / paper book.
Light BEFORE 6am in new location would delay adjustment (reinforces old schedule). Light AFTER 10pm would also delay.
Supplements/Caffeine Strategy
Melatonin (short-term use only):
- 0.3-0.5mg (NOT 3-5mg — most sold doses are too high for jet lag purposes)
- 30 min before desired bedtime Paris time, days 1-3
- Research: lower dose more effective for circadian shifting than higher
Caffeine:
- Day 1 arrival: coffee with breakfast Paris time. Light afternoon coffee if slammed (before 2pm). Evening coffee = disaster.
- Days 2+: normal caffeine pattern on Paris time (morning + early afternoon).
Alcohol:
- Minimize days 1-3. Fragments sleep during critical adjustment period.
- Day 4+: moderate OK if you want wine with dinner.
Hydration: extra water days 1-3. Dehydration worsens jet lag symptoms.
Common use cases
- International business / vacation travel
- Athletes traveling for competition
- Return from vacation
- Frequent-travel recovery patterns
Best AI model for this
Sonnet 4.5.
Pro tips
- Pre-flight adjustment: shift 2-3 days before if possible.
- Light exposure is the main lever. Timing matters.
- Melatonin supplementation OK short-term; wrong-timing worsens.
- Caffeine strategic (not morning-of-arrival).
- Alcohol on flight: fragments sleep at bad time. Avoid.
Customization tips
- For <4 day trips east: don't adjust. Stay on home-time mentally. Schedule meetings for your active-hours.
- For flying west: reverse logic. Stay up later, bed later. Much easier — body naturally tolerates longer days better.
- For athletes with competition: arrive 1 day per time zone in advance when possible. 6-hour shift = 5-6 days early ideal.
- For frequent travelers (monthly): chronic circadian disruption has health costs. Consider consolidation travel into blocks.
Variants
Default East-Bound
Harder direction — advance circadian
West-Bound
Easier — delay circadian
Short-Trip (2-4 days)
Don't adjust; stay on home time
Athlete Performance
Specific timing for competition
Return-Home Protocol
Recovering from vacation
Frequently asked questions
How do I use the Jet Lag East-West Protocol prompt?
Open the prompt page, click 'Copy prompt', paste it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini, and replace the placeholders in curly braces with your real input. The prompt is also launchable directly in each model with one click.
Which AI model works best with Jet Lag East-West Protocol?
Sonnet 4.5.
Can I customize the Jet Lag East-West Protocol prompt for my use case?
Yes — every Promptolis Original is designed to be customized. Key levers: Pre-flight adjustment: shift 2-3 days before if possible.; Light exposure is the main lever. Timing matters.
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