Jet Lagged but Motivated: Should You Work Out When You’re Running on Empty?

Jet Lag and Fatigue: What’s Actually Happening?

When you travel across time zones, your body’s internal clock (circadian rhythm) gets disrupted. This can affect your sleep, digestion, energy, and even coordination — all of which play into how your workout feels.

Fatigue from jet lag is different than just being tired. It involves hormonal shifts, dehydration, and often poor sleep — a trifecta that impacts performance and recovery.

Should You Work Out Anyway?

It depends on how you feel. Here’s how I help patients decide:

• Mild fatigue? A light workout or walk may actually help reset your rhythm.
• Heavy fatigue, dizziness, or brain fog? Prioritize sleep, hydration, and rest.
• Feeling wired but tired? Try stretching, yoga, or a low-impact workout to ease back into movement.

Benefits of Gentle Movement After Travel

Even a short session can:

• Improve circulation after long flights
• Help reset your body clock (especially if done outdoors)
• Boost endorphins and reduce irritability
• Prevent aches, bloating, and stiffness

The key is to listen to your body and scale intensity down, not up.

When to Skip the Gym

Don’t work out if you:

• Got less than 3–4 hours of sleep
• Feel nauseous, dizzy, or extremely groggy
• Are dealing with signs of dehydration (dry mouth, headache, lightheadedness)

In those cases, a short nap, water, and a walk are far more productive than a sweat session.

Tips to Work Out While Jet Lagged

• Time it with daylight: Working out during daylight hours helps reset circadian rhythms.
• Keep it short: 20–30 minutes is enough. Save high intensity for after you’ve rebalanced.
• Stay hydrated: Travel depletes fluids. Drink water before, during, and after your workout.
• Refuel properly: Protein + carbs post-workout help with recovery.

What About Sleep vs. Sweat?

If you’re deciding between a nap and a workout, choose sleep if you feel physically and mentally drained. If you’re alert but sluggish, a short, gentle workout may give you more energy.

There’s no shame in resting — it’s a form of training, too.

Travel-Ready Workouts I Recommend

• 10-minute bodyweight flow: Squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, light stretching
• Walk + mobility: A 20-minute brisk walk followed by 5–10 minutes of foam rolling or yoga
• Hotel room circuits: 2 rounds of 5 simple movements (think air squats, glute bridges, shoulder taps)

Final Thoughts

Travel disrupts your body — but it doesn’t have to derail your movement goals. The secret is flexibility. When you’re jet lagged, you don’t need to push — you need to adapt.

Movement can be medicine, but only if it meets you where you are. Prioritize recovery, listen to your body, and treat post-travel workouts as a gentle reentry — not a punishment.