I'm planning a trip from New York to Southeast Asia next month and I've heard horror stories about people being completely wrecked for a week. What actually works - melatonin, staying up, the whole light exposure thing? I want to enjoy my vacation instead of sleeping through it.
It's not actually as bad as those stories make it sound if you're strategic about it. Light exposure is the real deal - get sunlight at the right times and your body adjusts way faster than if you just sleep whenever. Melatonin helps some people but it's more of a nudge than a magic fix; the timing matters way more than the dose. I'd skip the "stay up all night" approach because you'll just be miserable and cranky the whole first few days. Honestly, arriving in the evening, getting sunlight the next morning, and eating on local time works better than any pill combo.
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