If you’ve looked into how to avoid jet lag before a long-haul trip, you’ve probably come across the Timeshifter app. It gets a lot of praise in travel circles, so when we headed to Mexico I decided to give it a proper go and take advantage of the free trial. Here’s my honest take.
Contents
- What Is Timeshifter?
- How It Works
- My First-hand Experience
- Who Might Actually Find It Worth It
- The Verdict
What Is Timeshifter?
Timeshifter is an impressive app – with expert credentials – based on scientific research learnt from NASA. The creators of the app used circadian science – the study of the body clock. Rather than giving you generic advice, it creates a personalised plan based on your specific flights, your usual sleep schedule and whether you’re up for using melatonin.
The plan tells you exactly when to seek light, avoid light, sleep, stay awake and have caffeine (and melatonin if you’ve chosen that option) in the days around your trip.
The science behind it is solid. It was developed with input from circadian rhythm researchers and is used by everyone from regular travellers to professional sports teams.
How It Works
You put in your flight details and your normal sleep times, and it generates a day-by-day schedule starting two days before you fly. You get instructions like “seek light” or “avoid light” at specific times, along with when to have caffeine or melatonin and when to sleep. The first shift is free, with a subscription needed after that.
My First-hand Experience
Well I’ll start with telling you that it did work. I landed in Mexico, I felt good and in better shape than the rest of my group who didn’t try it, and I do credit the app with that.
But – and this is a big but – I found the whole process quite annoying to follow. The pre-flight schedule meant adjusting my sleep and daily routine in the days before we left, which felt like I was experiencing jet lag before the holiday and I actually felt quite ill.
I opted for the melatonin free option and followed the routine as instructed. The app would tell me when I needed to avoid light or seek light, which meant wearing sunglasses at odd times, even indoors, which was a bit embarrassing at work.
The worst part – avoiding caffeine sometimes – for me this was torture! All of these things can be quite tricky when you’re trying to follow your normal routine – going to work and looking after your family. The last thing you want is an app telling you to wear shades at strange times of day and not to drink caffein.
I followed it and it did work really well. Our first day in Mexico, I felt pretty good and not jet lagged. But – on the days leading up to the trip – I felt like I had jetlag already, so to be honest, I probably wouldn’t bother again
Who Might Actually Find It Worth It
To be fair, I think there are travellers for whom Timeshifter makes a lot of sense:
- Frequent business travellers who can’t afford to lose a day to jet lag
- Solo travellers who have more control over their schedule pre-departure
- Athletes or anyone where performance on arrival genuinely matters
- People who find jet lag really debilitating and want a structured plan to follow
If you’re travelling with a family and the pre-trip chaos is already at maximum, it adds a layer of complexity that I personally didn’t find worth it.
The Verdict
Timeshifter: 3.5/5. It works, the science is legitimate, and for the right traveller it’s probably excellent. For me, the simpler approach of staying up until local bedtime and getting up early on day one does the job without the faff.
If you want to give a go, the first shift is free, so it costs nothing to try. You can download it at timeshifter.com.
For the jet lag tips I actually use every trip, take a look at How to Not Get Jet Lag: Tips That Actually Work.
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