5 apps to help you beat jet lag
Editor's Note
Every traveler has suffered from jet lag at some point, and there's no magical cure that works for everyone. However, there are some things that can help, and, surprisingly, technology is one of them.
Apps are one of the newest ways travelers have started combating jet lag, but can your phone really heal your exhausted and confused body and mind when enduring an 11-hour time change?
Maybe so. These five apps could help mitigate jet lag by regulating your circadian rhythms, relaxing you enough to put you to sleep or instructing you to do self-acupressure to reset your internal body clock.
Related: 30 essential travel apps every traveler needs
Timeshifter
Timeshifter relies on sleep and circadian neuroscience research to provide personalized recommendations for every traveler. It considers your age, gender and normal sleep patterns, as well as specifics about your trip and travel plans. The app suggests when to avoid or seek light, when to nap or stay awake, and even whether you should consider melatonin or caffeine. There's also a quick turnaround feature for business travelers who need to be on point during short trips, and a version of the app for shift workers.
When testing it, I liked the easy-to-read notifications, which told me when to get bright light, avoid caffeine and sleep. However, sometimes, they may not be so simple to follow. If you're tasked with getting bright light, but it's raining or you have meetings, or you're instructed to sleep on a plane but there's turbulence, you won't be able to follow your plan exactly as specified.
Timeshifter is available for iPhones and Android devices. Your first jet lag plan is free; after that, you'll pay $9.99 per plan or enjoy unlimited plans for a year for $24.99. InterContinental and Six Senses offer a complimentary jet lag plan with any direct hotel booking. United 1K Premier members can register for a free account, and all MileagePlus members can earn 500 miles by purchasing a $24.99 annual account.
Related: Don't make these time-change mistakes when planning travel
Insight Timer
Insight Timer is one of the most popular free meditation apps out there. It may not cure jet lag, but listening to a yoga nidra sequence or the sounds of meditation bells may lure you into slumber — or at least help you relax — either on a plane or after you've arrived at your destination. With over 200,000 different meditations, one (or many) should fit your needs.
You can download Insight Timer for iPhone or Android. It costs $60 per year for offline mode, additional meditations and other premium services. If you don't love Insight Timer, there are plenty of other meditation and relaxation apps, such as Calm and Headspace.
Related: Flighty app gets an upgrade: Why this flight-tracking app is a go-to travel companion
StopJetLag
Similar to Timeshifter, StopJetLag provides personalized advice for travelers to reset their body clocks and beat jet lag by telling them when and when not to sleep, when to seek light, when and what to eat (including the size of each meal), when to exercise, when to drink caffeine and more. Once you input your trip summary, you get a personalized, downloadable plan with all the necessary information, including an agenda, notes and mobile alerts.
The app also recommends the best flying times to help travelers avoid jet lag in the first place, which could be useful if you haven't yet purchased a plane ticket.
While the app's interface feels a little dated, we do love that you can arrange for it to pull your itineraries directly from TripIt. Download StopJetLag for free for iPhone and Android. Custom jet lag plans start from $78 and include tips for both directions of your trip.
Related: What to expect when you travel internationally from the US
BetterSleep
A white-noise app can help you sleep during your flight or at your destination, helping curtail that pesky jet lag. BetterSleep features sound categories like nature, binaural beats and ASMR. You can layer several sounds at once, adjusting each volume until you achieve your ideal medley of city rain, Zen piano and cat purrs — or whatever white noise will lull you into a deep sleep. Once you find your favorite combination, you can save it for next time.
The app also features bedtime stories, meditations and breathing exercises; plus, there are physical and mental guided plans deemed "Sleep Moves," some of which are specifically created to overcome jet lag or sleep better during travel.
BetterSleep is available for both iPhone and Android. Some sounds are free, and premium plans including more sounds cost $9.99 per month, $59.99 per year or $249.99 for lifetime access.
Related: Our favorite travel hacks from very frequent flyers
Uplift
This app uses a slightly different method to help jet-lagged travelers reset: biorhythmic acupressure. Once you fill in your trip itinerary (departure and arrival cities, dates and times), Uplift gives you a few exercises to do upon landing with an instructional video. The idea is that putting pressure on different points on your body can help you adjust naturally to the new time zone.
After trying it out on a trip from Madrid to San Jose, Costa Rica (a seven-hour time difference), I didn't quite avoid jet lag, but it helped me adjust to the new time zone faster. Also, I slept more soundly than usual after, without waking up at strange hours throughout the night.
Download Uplift for iPhone or Android and get a free 30-day trial. After that, unlimited travel exercises for specific trips cost $4.95 per month or $24.95 per year.
Related: 9 wellness trends and where to experience them in 2025
Bottom line
Will anything completely cure your jet lag? Maybe not. However, these apps may help significantly shorten jet lag's annoying symptoms or make you feel calmer and more rested during your trip. From acupressure to sunshine, the jet lag remedies offered by these apps are certainly worth a try.
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