Jet lag recovery calculator
Enter the time zones crossed, the direction and your arrival date to get an approximate recovery time and a sleep tip.
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Processing and privacy: The result is calculated inside your browser and your data is not sent to any server.
How to use it
- Enter time zones crossed, direction and arrival date.
- The result appears straight away and updates as you edit.
- Copy the result, or copy a link that keeps the same values to share it.
How it is calculated
Recovery days = time zones crossed, rounded up (rule of thumb: one day per zone). Adjusted by = arrival date + recovery days.
Example
Inputs: Time zones crossed = 7, Direction = Eastward, Arrival date = 2026-10-01. Result: Approximate recovery days: 7 days; Expected adjusted by: Thursday, October 8, 2026 (2026-10-08); Sleep tip: Sleep and wake about 1 hour earlier each day, and get morning light..
Limits and caveats
- One day per zone is a general rule of thumb; people vary a lot.
- Eastward travel usually takes longer to adjust to than westward.
- This is not medical advice.
Questions about this tool
How do I count the time zones I crossed?
Subtract the UTC offsets of the two cities. Riyadh (UTC+3) to London in winter (UTC+0) is 3 zones.
Why is the maximum 12 zones?
The body clock shifts the shorter way, so 14 zones east feels like 10 zones west.
Does direction change the number of days here?
No. The rule used is one day per zone either way, but direction changes the sleep tip.