Is sleep overrated? Meet the people getting by on four hours per night
Whether it’s due to work pressure, parenthood or preference, a significant minority of people sleep far less than the norm. We interviewed three short sleepers to learn how they get by while the rest of the world slumbers
Imagine sleeping for just four hours per night. It was enough for Margaret Thatcher, but humans usually require around seven to nine hours for optimal health and cognitive function. This isn’t a blanket rule – some groups are better served by different sleep durations, such as those who are recovering from illness (who need to sleep more than they normally would) and younger children (toddlers should be having 11-14 hours). Most people in the UK say they sleep for seven hours per night, and the equivalent figure rises to eight hours in the US. While this means that most of us are getting at least the minimum amount of sleep we need, it also highlights that millions must be sleeping less. In fact, around 4% of people in the UK and 8% in the US claim to sleep for fewer than five hours per night. What leads to people sleeping so little, and how does this lifestyle affect their health and happiness? We spoke to three people – with very different reasons for only sleeping around four hours a night – and asked sleep expert Dave Gibson, a registered osteopath, hypnotherapist, stress management coach and founder of The Sleep Site for his advice. Short-sleeping by choice: “Four hours per night is the rhythm that works for my life and work.” Hailey Rodaer, a marketing director in Reno, Nevada, US, thinks that four hours is just right: "It may be strange for someone to say they choose to sleep only four hours a night, as this is generally seen as unhealthy. But in my experience, it has become the rhythm that works for life and work. "I naturally wake up at around 3.30am, and these early and silent periods are the most productive times. I am at my sharpest and complete my strategic work before the world comes to life. It started with a difficult product release where I reduced sleep so that I could meet my deadlines, but I found that my body adjusted. "However, I still pay close attention to my health and visit the doctor regularly while also engaging in a daily workout. My energy levels are consistent but I have adapted to pay close attention to signs of exhaustion. The largest trade-off is that I need to take short breaks in the afternoon in order to reset mentally, but the upside is a long period of uninterrupted concentration each morning. It gives me time to reflect and be creative, before my team starts work." The sleep expert’s view: “Given that she wakes up refreshed and is alert throughout the day, Hailey might be someone with a genetic ability to feel fully rested after just four to six hours of sleep. Certain genes have been discovered which appear to allow this. (Some of these genes are DEC2, ADRB1 and SIK3.) “The DEC2 gene is associated with a need for around six hours and the SIK3 gene even less in some individuals. Those with these genes would find that they have always been short sleepers and they would have family members with a similar trait. “The key is that you wake up feeling refreshed and remain refreshed throughout the day. If you wake up feeling tired and groggy, you probably aren't a genetically short sleeper and would need to sleep for longer (typically seven to nine hours).” Too busy to sleep: “A lot of broken sleep that made up a low number of hours.” Charlotte Dodds, 35, is the founder of two small businesses and the mother of two young children in Gateshead, UK. "When the kids were very little there wasn’t much routine. I can’t say exactly when I was going to bed each night, because the timing depended on the babies. It was a lot of broken sleep that made up a low number of hours. "I started my first business around the same time, in 2020, and I was also in full-time work and working towards a qualification. I was making the most of the hours I was awake, and being busy took my focus away from how tired I felt. "My sleep pattern is more regular now that my children are nine and five years old. But one of them is still a bad sleeper, so while I can aim to have a regular bedtime, it’s never a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep. "Now that I’ve started my second business, I’m often working late and I might not go to bed till one or two in the morning, before getting up in time for the school run. "I think my body has become used to it. When I was in my twenties, I worked in hospitality and could easily have a nap when I was tired. Now, I just wouldn’t be able to nod off because I’m accustomed to running on so little sleep. "Not sleeping much can impact your mental health. I’ve felt more emotional and had slower reactions when I’ve slept very little. "My advice to busy new parents who don’t get much sleep is to surround yourself with a community of people who understand your situation. It was difficult with my second child because we were in lockdown, but joining mother’s groups and baby groups helped. There’s always someone there on the WhatsApp group even when you’re awake at 3am." The sleep expert’s view: “It’s great that Charlotte has found support with a group of parents facing a similar challenge. “I’d hope that she has night-time filters on her mobile phone to prevent the blue light which it emits from keeping her awake. Blue light delays the production of melatonin which is regarded as our sleep hormone. “It's important too that she doesn't go on social media at this time, nor doom scroll or binge watch a series, as these actions tend to stimulate the brain and can delay you getting back to sleep. “For those with babies and broken nightly sleep, I would always recommend that the parent tries to catch up on sleep when the baby takes a nap. And for those who expect a broken night's sleep with older children, a similar nap around the siesta period (between 2 and 5pm, when we feel naturally tired) would be good to add to their sleep routine.” The shift worker: “It’d be 3am and I’d think, ‘Oh no, here we go again!’” Michael Oddie, 31, from Manchester, UK, is a former IT night shift worker. "My last job in technical support demanded 12-hour shifts. I’d be working either from 7am-7pm or 7pm-7am, and I had about a 30-minute walk to work. Ideally, I was expected to get there 15 minutes early, so I would often wake up at around 5.30am and leave the house at 6.15am. "After getting home at 8pm, I’d try to cook a meal and would end up feeling like I had no time to relax, so I’d sacrifice sleep so that I could enjoy some time to myself – in theory, about three hours. But then I’d look at my clock, it’d be 3am and I’d think, “Oh no, here we go again!” "It’s hard to describe how it made me feel, because my lifestyle was all go. I was tired at the end of the shift but always attributed it to the work, not the lack of sleep. Coffee got me through, and on days off I’d have a big sleep binge. "I moved to working nine to five when I started running my own business full-time, and it’s a much less arduous schedule. I can wake up at half-past-eight to start work at nine. But when I first made the switch, I still wanted to sleep for only four hours, and I had to train myself out of it. I was going to bed at 4am for no reason. As time has gone on I’ve made more time for sleep, and I now get six or seven hours per night. "I definitely feel much healthier. That’s probably related to diet and exercise too, but maybe improving on those aspects of life is easier when you’ve had better sleep. I still don’t feel like I need more than six hours – if I have eight, I feel drowsy." The sleep expert’s view: “For those doing night-shifts, the challenge of changing the body clock is very hard as this natural rhythm is designed for us to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day. It can adjust by one hour, max (such as when the clocks change), but will struggle with longer. “With a night shift, you are essentially doing a similar pattern to someone travelling long haul and creating a jet lag effect. One of the keys to doing a night shift is to try to plan ahead and move your body clock towards the bedtimes you plan to have in smaller steps. This would mean trying to get to bed later before the start of a night shift and earlier towards the end of the night shift (ideally over a few days) to help the body clock adjust. “Getting a nap before the start of the first night shift would be a good plan too as it puts some sleep in the bank. Caffeine is okay to use early in the night shift, but I'd avoid it later in the shift as it would tend to keep you awake once you get home.” Is four hours of sleep ever really enough? Sleep is personal, and these three interviews alone have demonstrated how individuals can respond differently to short sleeping – and take different steps to live with it. This doesn’t detract from the fact that most (but apparently not all) people may experience impaired cognition and health impacts when they don’t get enough sleep. “Whilst being under-slept on an occasional basis leads to short term cognitive loss, such as decreased concentration and even increased anxiety, sleeping for less than six hours habitually is linked to conditions such as cardiovascular disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes and obesity,” says Gibson. “If you are regularly sleeping less than six hours per night you should reach out to visit your doctor.” Above that six-hour threshold (or perhaps below it, for a minority of people), sleep quality is all about finding the routine that works for you. “When you sleep in line with your sleep preference you get both an increased quantity and quality of sleep,” Gibson advises. “You’ll know that you’re getting enough sleep when you wake up feeling fully refreshed without needing to use an alarm. At this point your body is waking you up with the optimum level of rest.”
Neurotransmitters and soda? The latest functional ingredients in your drink
From prebiotic sodas to mushroom extracts for tea and coffee, functional drinks are everywhere. I found out how some leading brands taste – and what they do.
For more wellbeing guides, check out our 10 ways to boost energy and our health expert guide to serotonin – what it is and how to boost it for your health. Why drink water when you could choose a beverage that boosts your gut health with prebiotics, calms you with cannabinoids or even enhances your cognitive function? That’s the sort of proposition being put to us by a new generation of functional drinks brands, whose fast-growing niche encompasses nutrient-enriched sodas, mushroom supplements, hydrating electrolyte powders, CBD drinks, GABA spirits and more. It seems that there’s now a brightly branded drink for every ailment or aspiration – but how do they taste, and do they function as claimed? I sampled a cornucopia of functional drinks to find out. What is a functional drink? You might wonder what distinguishes a functional drink from other drinks which have always been prized for their specific effects, such as coffee or alcohol. Food scientists call products of this type ‘nutraceuticals’, which the Cambridge Dictionary defines as “a food to which vitamins, minerals, or drugs have been added to make it healthier”. Researchers have long recognised the potential for beverages to act as a “nutraceutical delivery system”, and the current functional drinks boom sees that idea reaching commercial fruition. “Driven largely by younger consumers, the market is due to grow in sales approximately 34% YoY, and firms are investing heavily in the space, specifically in new science-led innovations,” says Amanda Hardwick, a headhunter at Hartmann Young, which recruits for functional drinks brands. “Rather than the standard caffeine boost and crash, these products provide broader benefits such as better gut health, relaxation, and mental clarity,” she adds. “It started out as a trend that has now transitioned into a way of life for health-conscious people.” CBD drinks Just a decade ago, few among us would have expected that CBD drinks would soon be stocked at supermarkets like Waitrose and Sainsburys, with one maker ranking as the fastest growing soft drinks brand in the UK by 2023. These drinks contain a plant compound called cannabidiol, which is found naturally in cannabis. It is not considered psychoactive when used in isolation from THC (a high-inducing cannabinoid which can cause anxiety and paranoia). Cannabidiol, as found in CBD drinks, is thought to have mostly positive effects, including relief from stress, anxiety and pain. The amount of cannabidiol in CBD drinks is often (but not always) lower than the doses found in other CBD products such as oils. Weaker ones are a good entry point for those interested in trying CBD, albeit not the best option if you're seeking a strong therapeutic effect. Leading brand, Trip, makes tasty CBD sodas that have taken the UK by storm. Their raspberry orange blossom flavour (containing a hearty 25mg of CBD, as well as some magnesium and l-theanine) is crisp, refreshing and flavourful – and it did seem to chill me out after a frenzied house-cleaning session. Nutritionist, Holly Dunn, warns that there’s limited scientific evidence around the efficacy of CBD products or the long-term effects of CBD consumption. “Whilst small clinical trials (using verified CBD) suggest it to be safe to use, large-scale evidence of safety is lacking, and there is no definitive consensus on the safety of CBD drinks,” she says. “Many of these products incorporate a variety of sweeteners and flavour enhancers using a sparkling water base. Some of these ingredients, like erythritol, can cause digestive problems in some individuals, especially when consumed in significant quantities. It’s a contentious subject in the nutrition industry!” Hydrating electrolyte drinks Some functional drinks are prepared at home, by mixing powder or an effervescent tablet with water or other drinks, like coffee. Hydration drinks supposedly hydrate you far more thoroughly than water. They contain electrolytes such as sodium and potassium, combined with glucose. Collectively, these ingredients replace salt lost in sweat and can support kidney function. I tried one brand, O.R.S. Hydration Tablets, on a particularly parched morning, and I did seem to feel less thirsty for a few hours afterwards. There was an unmistakable salty, mineral taste to the drink, but this was nicely counterbalanced by a range of mellow fruit flavours – Blackcurrent being my favourite. The same brand’s ‘Sports’ formulations (I liked the Orange flavour) have added vitamin D to support muscle function, while the ‘Immune’ option incorporates vitamins C and D3, iron and zinc. Another brand, Liquid I.V., provides its hydrating electrolyte drinks as a powder. I tried the Raspberry Lemonade, which has an oddly satisfying, sherbety-yet-salty flavour that proves livening after exercise. I certainly felt well hydrated for hours after drinking. There’s also a Watermelon flavour, which could give you some fruity variety if consuming these drinks daily. According to Dunn, the average person can get all the electrolytes needed for health and proper hydration by maintaining a healthy, balanced diet – but there are exceptions where a top-up could be beneficial. “If you’re exercising intensely for over an hour (especially in the heat) or sweating a lot due to heat, illness, hormonal factors or personal disposition, you might be losing more minerals through sweat than your body is able to replace efficiently,” she says. “Electrolyte replacement supplements come in various drinkable forms, but it’s worth noting that real foods like salted nuts, cheese sticks, jerky, marmite can also be used to replace these minerals.” Mushroom supplements Like many, I have a distrust of mushrooms, so I felt wary of trying this type of functional drink. Nonetheless, there are many mushroom supplements on the market, most of which are designed for adding to tea, coffee or water as a concentrated extract or powder. New brand Mush offers three types of mushroom extract to enrich your drinks, including reishi (‘Mush Stress Less’), cordyceps (‘Mush Energy’) and chaga (‘Mush Defence’). Pipetted into tea, I found that the reishi extract added a slight earthy tang (which was in no way unpleasant) to a cup of Earl Grey. I’m not sure whether it made me feel calmer, but I certainly took on board a hearty dose of the adaptogenic fungus, which is believed to lower our cortisol levels. If you’ve targeted a certain type of mushroom extract for its specific reputed health effects, why not consume it in the form of a satisfyingly rich cuppa? Prebiotic drinks In basic terms, a prebiotic is a foodstuff that strengthens good bacteria in the gut. Plant-based fibre from vegetables and fruits is a key source, and there’s a good array of very pleasant drinks on the market that deliver these prebiotics in amped-up quantities. My favourite example, Jamu Wild Water, is wonderfully refreshing, with mild but satisfying fruit flavours. The brand’s Sparkling Raspberry flavour is especially delicious, and gives you 5g of prebiotic plant fibre. 10% of the company’s profits are used to help fund rewilding projects and support young people, so as well as feeling some initial benefits, you might eventually spot some wider ones while spending time in nature. I was also a big fan of XOXO, a brand specialising in prebiotic-rich, low-sugar, plant-based sodas. As a lover of watermelon sodas (which are often very high in sugar), I gravitated to its Watermelon flavour. It contains real watermelon juice, but most of the prebiotic content (6g) comes from XOXO’s fibre mix (also used in other flavours) of tapioca dextrin, Jerusalem artichoke and acacia gum. If you’d prefer a more efficient gulp to take on your regular prebiotic top-up, Deeply’s Gut Health Food with prebiotic plant fibre drinks would be a great pick. Served in a tiny 65ml bottle, the brand’s Carrot & Ginger with Turmeric recipe gives you one quarter (7.5g) of your RDA of plant fibre. It’s tasty, has the consistency of a thick smoothie, and also contains high levels of vitamins B9 and D3. “There is still a lack of evidence on how specific combinations of prebiotics in a soda or another ready-to-drink form affect gut microbiota structure, diversity, and function,” says Dunn, “but I do think this drink category shows some promise overall and may be an enjoyable way to increase prebiotics in a person’s diet, if used in moderation.” Alcohol alternatives (and a hangover healer) With many people now turning their backs on alcohol – or at least planning to reduce their intake – beverage makers have stepped up their efforts to produce drinks that mirror the drug’s good effects, without its worst downsides. Sentia’s GABA spirits are one interesting example, made with combinations of plant-based ingredients that aim to activate the neurotransmitter GABA, which reduces nerve cell hyperactivity and therefore promotes calm. I thought that this brand’s spirits tasted great, especially Sentia GABA Gold, which made a spicy, zingy combination with lime soda. It certainly made me feel calm, convivial, and perhaps even a little heady. With a similar focus on plant-based active ingredients (but not targeting GABA), Three Spirit Drinks produces a delicious range of ‘botanical elixirs’ with various intended effects. I loved this brand’s Livener spirit, which left me feeling perky with a combination of deep berry and peppery flavours. (Its content of caffeine-rich guayusa and potentially cognition-boosting schisandra surely helped in this regard.) While I now plan on making these non-alcoholic spirits a part of my social life, I’m not likely to stop drinking alcohol entirely. But even on boozier occasions, functional drinks may still have a role to play. Research has shown that consuming Korean shingo pear prior to drinking alcohol can reduce the severity of hangover symptoms by 16-21%. I tried a pouch of Pre-Pear, a convenient vehicle for the traditional drinker’s remedy, before enjoying a hearty quantity of beer, and I think it’d be accurate to say my hangover symptoms were about one fifth less horrendous than they might’ve been. The drink itself is not to my taste (although others have praised its flavour), with a strange hint of a spaghetti hoops umami mingled with the pear’s sweetness. But it was well worth drinking for its meaningful benefits to my concentration and mood the following day. Where to start with functional drinks? Although the sea of empty cans and bottles in my recycling bin would suggest otherwise, I’ve merely scratched the surface of the functional drinks market. Many of the enticingly branded beverages I tested were a pleasure to drink, and they did seem to provide the advertised benefits in some cases. But with that said, the health functions you want or need might already be available in other drinks (or foods). While writing this article, I visited Seb Wilkey, owner of a small, independent kombucha business, Kommy B, to taste a new, experimental sour cherry kombucha. Made with locally sourced organic fruit, the drink tasted radically more flavourful and interesting than any widely produced functional drink I’ve sampled. Other Kommy B creations, such as an elderflower kombucha, have been made with foraged ingredients. “As I’ve gotten older I’ve decided against poisoning my body with alcohol, and instead to make and drink something that’s not only delicious, but beneficial to my health,” says Wilkey. “Because it contains probiotics – healthy, live bacteria – kombucha can help with gut health and digestion, and it also has antioxidants such as polyphenols, which can help prevent disease and reduce inflammation.” So, you might find your next functional drink (or at least the ingredients to make it), in a garden, hedgerow or farmer’s market, rather than on a supermarket shelf. I’m personally happy to recommend any of the functional drinks featured in this article – although those with health conditions or in special circumstances should consult a healthcare provider before trying a type of drink or particular active ingredient that’s new to them. For instance, Dunn advises against drinking kombucha during pregnancy. Check the ingredients list before you buy, then try your chosen drink in moderation. Although skeptical over certain types of functional drinks, Holly Dunn believes there’s a place for these drinks as an alternative to alcoholic and sugar-sweetened beverages. “I think this is where functional drinks can inject some excitement into a growing market and help to satisfy increasing demand for alcohol-free beverages especially,” she says. “That said, I would always remain mindful of the exaggerated claims about the health benefits of a single product. Rather than a dietary necessity, functional drinks may simply serve as a tasty addition to your life, with a little potential for good.” More wellbeing guides Expert explains: how to increase serotonin Expert explains: what is the dopamine diet Expert explains: how to have a better night's sleep 'Why am I always tired?' An expert explains Skip the coffee, here are 10 natural energy boosters to try 10 ways to boost energy when tired 10 foods to improve your mood Expert explains: the Mediterranean diet What is sleep hygiene and how to improve it Expert explains: how ayurveda can help digestion
Conquer your jet lag with simple, expert-approved diet tweaks
You’re not shelling out for long-haul just to feel tired – so we asked a nutritionist, a sleep specialist and a long-haul pilot how to manage your jet lag
For more on improving your sleep, find out about 'sleep tourism', how much sleep you really need and our review of the best sleep supplements. Our bodies are used to a daily routine. We eat at certain times, we’re more active during predictable periods and we have a good idea of when the sun will rise and set. The brain signals us to wake, sleep, get things done and digest food at just the right moments. This is our circadian rhythm – and long haul flights break it at intercontinental speed. “The disruption essentially throws off the release timing of hormones like melatonin and cortisol, which regulate sleep-wake cycles and other bodily functions including digestion,” says sleep specialist and founder of The Sleep Site, Dave Gibson. “The body clock naturally aligns with the environment but when you travel across multiple time zones it remains set to the original time zone, leading to more severe symptoms the further you travel.” We call this phenomenon ‘jet lag’ and while those words may carry a sprinkling of glamour, the realities are grounding. “Common symptoms include insomnia or excessive sleepiness, headaches, daytime fatigue, digestive issues like bloating, constipation or diarrhoea, difficulty concentrating and mood changes such as irritability,” says Dave. Even the most flight-hardened travellers can experience these effects. “I’ve certainly felt the cognitive fog myself – I once tried to pour orange juice on my cereal after a trip,” says Captain Zoe Cameron-Casey, a long-haul pilot and human factors instructor at Virgin Atlantic. “Even as a teenager I remember seeing this in action. My dad was a pilot too and after one trip he took me and my siblings to the supermarket. We managed to convince him to buy all sorts of snacks and things he’d usually say no to.” 5 jet lag facts The term ‘jet lag’ originated in the 1960s when long-haul travel was taking off – travel writer Horace Sutton, who may have coined the term, described jet lag as “a debility not unakin to a hangover” Studies have found that jet lag is worse after travelling east, rather than west, as this direction of travel shortens the day and can make it difficult to go to sleep at a normal time 68% of international business travellers experience jet lag symptoms regularly Jet lag is recognised as a health condition by authorities including the NHS When the clocks change each spring and autumn we can experience relatively mild jet lag symptoms, sometimes referred to as ‘social jet lag’ How to reduce jet lag Jet lag is a fact of long-haul flying but there are dietary tweaks and other measures that can reduce the symptoms – at least in some people’s experience. We’ll start by looking at what we know best: diet. Adjust your mealtimes Regular mealtimes are a cornerstone of your circadian rhythm. The gut is better equipped to digest foods at predictable times of day, due to factors such as peaks and troughs of gut microbiota activity. Some travellers try to combat this effect by tweaking their mealtimes in the days before a long flight – a tactic best reserved for longer stays in distant places. “When I’m flying professionally, I usually stick to UK time, especially on shorter layovers (24-48 hours), because it’s more effective than constantly trying to reprogramme my internal clock,” says Zoe. “But for personal travel or longer trips it can help to gently adjust sleep and meal timings in the days beforehand – particularly when heading east. Even small shifts can reduce the initial impact.” Once you’ve touched down it’s generally advised to adapt to local mealtimes. “Eating in line with your destination’s local time can help nudge your body clock into sync,” says registered nutritionist, Milena Kaler. “Think of meals as time cues. If you arrive in the morning, try to wait until local lunchtime to eat. It’s a gentle but effective way to adapt,” she says. Choose these foods in the morning After landing in your far-flung destination, Milena suggests eating a reinvigorating combination of protein and complex carbs. “Go for a breakfast that wakes up your metabolism without overwhelming your system – something like eggs on sourdough with avocado, or Greek yogurt with oats and berries,” she says. Naturally, you might reach for a caffeinated drink such as coffee to start the day wakefully, but this might not be the best choice when it comes to managing jet lag symptoms. “Even mild dehydration can make jet lag feel worse, so start with water, or hot water with lemon if that’s your thing,” says Milena. “Foods like citrus salad with yogurt, or peanut butter on toast with sliced banana, will give you a gentle lift without a crash.” Quick tips: Recover with a breakfast combining protein and complex carbs Focus on hydrating with water Energise with healthy foods, not caffeinated drinks Choose these foods at night When you’re dealing with jet lag, Milena suggests winding down with foods that encourage calm and support melatonin production. “Keep things light, warming and easy to digest with foods like salmon with roasted sweet potato, or a warm grain bowl with chickpeas, spinach and a sprinkle of pumpkin seeds,” she says. One of the most disruptive symptoms of jet lag is difficulty getting to sleep. There’s no magic nutrient to solve the problem, but eating the right foods (throughout the day, not just at night) could help. “Tryptophan, which is found in oats, seeds and turkey, helps produce melatonin, our sleep hormone,” says Milena. “Magnesium, found in leafy greens, nuts and dark chocolate, supports relaxation and helps create the right conditions for sleep – although it’s not a knockout pill.” Quick tips: Light, easy-to-digest foods are best when managing jet lag Foods containing tryptophan can help with production of melatonin, the sleep hormone Foods containing magnesium can help us relax and get to sleep in a new time zone The best snacks to eat As many frequent flyers can attest, long-distance travel sometimes brings out the unhealthier extremes of our appetite. “When you’re tired, your body doesn’t just feel low on energy – it starts craving all the wrong things,” says Zoe. “You’re more likely to overeat, reach for sugar or carbs, or make impulsive choices you wouldn’t normally make when well rested, so it’s a good idea to plan ahead and pack something nutritious for the flight. “If I’ve got something healthy to hand, I’m far less likely to give in to the crisps or chocolate,” she adds. Most airports will let you through security with solid foods in your hand luggage, so there’s nothing to prevent you from taking some healthy, home-prepped nibbles for the flight. “Snack smart with things that give slow-release energy and help the body relax,” says Milena. “Try oatcakes with seed butter or a banana.” While we’re on the subject of snacks, Dave suggests some light bites (and a drink) that will help look after your gut microbiota around a long-haul trip. “One problem with long-haul travel is that it affects your gut microbiome, which is the inner ecosystem of our digestive systems,” he says. “Eating probiotic foods such as natural yogurt, kombucha and kimchi, or even taking a probiotic supplement, can support your gut bacteria, and this in turn reduces jet lag’s effects on your digestive system.” Quick tips: Jet lag causes cravings – but try to stick to healthy snacks Most airports will let you bring home-prepped snacks through security Probiotic snacks like natural yogurt support healthy gut bacteria during disruptive travel Is it possible to completely eliminate jet lag? Time is a healer and, for most people, jet lag symptoms become unnoticeable within 4-6 days of reaching the destination (the period would likely be shorter if you’ve crossed fewer than six time zones). Unfortunately, there’s no sure way to prevent jet lag symptoms after flying, but you do have some options, dietary and otherwise, to reduce the symptoms. “Jet lag is pretty much unavoidable on long-haul flights – you’re shifting time zones, after all – but there are definitely ways to make it easier,” says Zoe. “The biggest help is exposure to natural light as soon as you land. Your circadian rhythm is heavily influenced by light, so stepping outside and moving around in daylight really helps signal to the brain that it’s a new day. Even a short walk in natural light can accelerate adjustment. “Also, regardless of the time zone, my number one rule is to keep ‘day one’ light. Your body is already working hard to recalibrate, so don’t overload it. Fresh air, movement, hydration and a bit of compassion go a long way,” she adds. According to Dave, adapting your mindset before and during travel can also help you to acclimatise when you land. “On travel day, pack early to minimise stress and ensure rest, and set your watch to the arrival time as soon as you board the airplane, as this helps to reinforce the new schedule you’ll follow for meals and sleep,” he says. “When you arrive make sure you adapt your light exposure, meals and sleep times to the local schedule as quickly as possible. If it’s not bedtime, avoid napping and instead stay awake until your local bedtime. If you have to nap, however, limit it to a 20-minute power nap so that you’ll still be tired at bedtime.” In the aviation industry, jet lag is handled as an important factor in passenger safety and employee wellbeing. “Airlines address it through structured fatigue risk management systems, with guidance on things like strategic rest, light exposure, sleep hygiene and recognising when performance is starting to be affected,” says Zoe. “Managing fatigue well is simply part of doing the job properly – and the same principles that help flight crew stay alert and focussed can work just as well for travellers trying to feel human again after a long-haul flight.” It turns out that the best advice, after a plane has moved you a very long way, is to move a much shorter distance under your own steam. “Jet lag is a full-body recalibration and the best thing you can do is support it with patience, daylight, sleep – and the thing that works best for me, movement,” says Zoe. “Whether it’s a run along the beach in Barbados, a walk through Central Park, or a Punch Hub boxing class back home in Oxfordshire, getting my body moving helps shift my internal clock and blow away the jet lag. “It doesn’t have to be intense – just getting outside and into natural light can lift your energy and help kick-start the adjustment.”
Why spending time in nature is good for you
Probably one of the easiest and cheapest wellness treatments you can get, here’s how stepping outside will benefit your health
Find out other ways to stay healthy, how working from home affects your wellbeing and how what you eat can help protect your skin from the sun. Perhaps you have a tale of how nature helped you feel better? Mine started by walking a daily loop around the main road, suburban cut-throughs and rural trails near our home. We were in a Covid lockdown, and isolation from friends and families was unravelling my mental state. My wife, Alice, persuaded me that daily short walks would make a difference, as she’d point out to me the plants that were newly blooming, the butterflies and dragonflies now flitting among them. It turned out we weren’t alone in a frozen world. We were still part of something, in nature. I’ve had a deeper relationship with nature since then, and this has kept me grounded. I run, hike, camp and, above all, I notice and better appreciate the world around me. Plants that I once saw as mere scenery have names, meanings and a valued place in the year. The benefits of being outdoors 2020 was a recent high point in our relationship with the natural world. Four years later, over a million fewer people in the UK were gaining health benefits from time spent outdoors. We would do well to reverse that trend, as it’s increasingly clear that nature provides us with a many-flowered meadow of benefits to body and mind. The growth in popularity of forest schools is one testament to the benefits children gain from spending time outside. “I believe in the concept, because we see clear differences in children who have not had regular outdoor exposure prior to joining us,” says Hayley Ramsden of Greenglade Day Nursery and Forest School, Hipperholme, West Yorkshire. “Children who attend forest school are more able to regulate their emotions, and they can engage in imaginative play for longer periods. “The children are able to expand on their physical skills such as balance, coordination and strength by climbing, running on uneven ground and lifting natural objects. They also develop stronger problem-solving skills and are able to work well as a team. Spatial awareness is also developed due to learning how to navigate around obstacles.” It seems an ideal way to counter a recently theorised condition: nature deficit disorder. This term was coined by author Richard Louv to describe “the costs of alienation from nature,” which are said to include “diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, conditions of obesity, and higher rates of emotional and physical illnesses.” “Many children travel frequently by car and often spend indoor time in places like soft play gyms. As a result, they can struggle when first introduced to open-ended natural spaces like the forest,” explains Ramsden. “Whenever we are unable to go outside due to safety concerns or extreme weather, we notice a significant impact on the children’s behaviour, self-regulation, and overall well-being. Even adults experience a difference when we’ve been stuck indoors. We get a sense of ‘cabin fever’ too.” The proven benefits Gardeners, religious groups, philosophers, theorists and many others throughout history have upheld the good that is to be found in nature. Increasingly, health providers and wellness businesses are cottoning on, with mental health services now advising patients to spend time outdoors and spas offering nature experiences. There’s a growing body of academic and medical research to describe the mental and physical benefits, including: Improved mental health. This can stem from many aspects of time in nature. For example, sunlight has been shown to activate the synthesis of serotonin and reduce depression. Relaxation. A short period of time in nature reduces levels of stress hormones including cortisol. Circulatory health. Exposure to nature lowers our heart rate and blood pressure. Bone health and immunity. Our skeleton and immune system are supported by vitamin D, which is gained mostly from direct sunlight. Better sleep. Exposure to sunlight helps regulate our circadian rhythm, which is a dovetailing of biological processes (from hormone release to digestion) that make us feel awake or sleepy at certain times. Nature on prescription A growing appreciation of nature’s benefits gave rise to the cross-government Green Social Prescribing programme, which ran from April 2021 to March 2025. More than 8,000 people with mental health needs were prescribed nature-based activities, ranging from group walks and outdoor exercise classes to gardening and conservation work. This resulted in an average self-reported happiness increase from 5.3 to 7.5 on a 10-point scale. The nationwide average is 7.4, so people who entered the scheme relatively unhappy ended up happier than most. “Some people were referred by GPs and social prescribing link workers, while others came through charities, community groups and self-referral,” says Charlotte Osborn-Forde, Chief Executive of the National Academy for Social Prescribing. “There were statistically significant improvements in happiness and life satisfaction, reduced anxiety, and an uptake rate of 85% when people were offered a green prescription. The independent evaluation also found that it was cost effective.” According to Osborn-Forde, a green social prescription can provide varying benefits to different people. “The activities are often social, so participants who are lonely and isolated form lasting and meaningful relationships,” she says. “Activities like gardening or volunteering on a farm also give people a sense of achievement as they are making a difference. People learn new skills and are able to be creative. Other projects help people to get exercise, through walking, swimming or yoga.” Although the government pilot has ended, the National Academy for Social Prescribing is now supporting interested health practitioners, organisations and community groups through its NHS Green Social Prescribing Toolkit. How to make the most of time in nature Even if you can’t access a local green social prescribing opportunity, you can hopefully tap into some of the benefits of spending time in nature. It could be as simple as eating your lunch in the garden, or going for an occasional walk. “It’s the moments, not just the minutes, that truly matter,” says Amber Potter-Merrick, public engagement producer at the National Trust. “While access to natural spaces is important, it's our connection to nature that brings lasting benefits. These include improvements in both mental and physical health, as well as taking action to help nature.” Potter-Merrick suggests making simple efforts to connect with nature, where you notice it. That could mean watching wildlife, listening to birdsong, smelling wildflowers, or taking photos of landscapes and living things. Even cloud watching is a connective experience. The benefits of this natural relationship are societal and ecological, as well as personal. “A strong connection to nature is linked to greater social cohesion, better academic achievement in schools, and enhanced workplace productivity,” says Potter-Merrick. “Research shows that if children and young people can engage with nature early in life, they grow up to care about the natural world and are more likely to take action to protect it.” As I’ve learned, just going for a walk and noticing nature is enough to make a difference. If you’d like to make a similar change but don’t know where to start, Potter-Merrick advises listening to the National Trust’s Wild Tales nature podcast. Other pathways include community conservation projects, running, cycling or walking groups, campsites, allotments, your local park, or just about any place where there’s life. That’s the beauty of nature: it’s all around us, waiting to be seen. 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