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Jet Lag Calculator

Pick your home time zone and destination to see how many time zones you're crossing and how long it'll take to adjust — free, no sign-up required.

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Why eastward travel hits harder

Your body's internal clock naturally runs a little longer than 24 hours, which makes it easier to delay your schedule (stay up later, as when flying west) than to advance it (fall asleep earlier, as when flying east). That's why the same number of time zones crossed eastward typically causes more jet lag than crossing them westward.

As a rough rule of thumb, plan on about one day of adjustment per time zone crossed eastward, and roughly two-thirds of a day per time zone crossed westward — though this varies by individual, sleep habits, and how much daylight exposure you get on arrival.