Risk factors

Factors that increase the likelihood you'll experience jet lag include:

• Number of time zones crossed. The more time zones you cross, the more likely you are to be jet-lagged.
• Flying east. You may find it harder to fly east, when you "lose" time, than to fly west, when you gain time.
• Being a frequent flyer. Pilots, flight attendants and business travelers are most likely to experience jet lag.
• Being an older adult. Older adults may need more time to recover from jet lag than do younger adults.