Travel

Never arrive jetlagged again: with this app, jetlag is a thing of the past

By Hanna Oonincx | #!30Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:37 +0200+02:003730#30Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:37 +0200+02:00-12Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam202630 15pm30pm-30Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:37 +0200+02:0012Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam2026302026Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:37 +02003712374pmWednesday=9#!30Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:37 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam4#04-15-2026#!30Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:37 +0200+02:003730#/30Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:37 +0200+02:00-12Europe/Amsterdam3030Europe/Amsterdam202630#!30Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:37:37 +0200+02:00Europe/Amsterdam4#

Jetlag: the biggest enemy of anyone who flies. You look forward to that one trip for months only to arrive completely wrecked. While the world around you is calling to be discovered, you are mainly focused on staying awake. But what if you could tackle that problem with an app even before you depart?

Stubborn in Kyoto

My own jetlag misery started right after arriving in Japan. On the train from the airport to the hotel, a cute Hello Kitty train no less, I fought against my closing eyes. My head kept nodding forward, but I stubbornly stayed awake, determined to outsmart the jetlag. Well, that didn't work at all. The next morning I was wide awake at five o'clock in a still-sleeping Kyoto, with no idea what to do with myself. In hindsight, I could have saved myself a lot of frustration because there is an app specifically designed for this.

What does that app do exactly?

The Timeshifter app promises to push your biological clock towards your destination even before you step on the plane. Based on your flight details and personal habits such as sleep times, daily routine, and caffeine consumption, the app creates a schedule specifically for you. It helps you gradually adjust your rhythm. During your trip and stay, you continue to receive advice via push notifications: ‘Now you need to wear your sunglasses to minimize light’ and ’No caffeine for you for the next nine hours.’ Sounds simple enough.

Nothing is as it seems

Yet there are also drawbacks. Testers were particularly pleased with the sleep and light advice from Timeshifter, but missed other aspects. Things like nutrition, exercise, and alcohol consumption all affect your sleep, yet the app does nothing with them. As a result, you still have to make choices yourself, without really knowing if they help or disrupt your rhythm. Additionally, the app takes little account of the fact that you are on vacation. Where you might get up strictly at 6:30 AM at home, you want to sleep in or stay up late while traveling. Still, the app mainly bases your schedule on your work rhythm, which means that many pieces of advice are simply ignored once you reach your destination. On top of that, a personal schedule costs about ten euros each time, or twenty-five euros per year if you want to make unlimited plans through a subscription. Nothing comes for free. The frequent flyer gets this back, but if you only travel far every now and then, a strategic screenshot here and there might be just as effective.

Could this app have prevented my early morning walks through Kyoto? There's a good chance it could have, although it still requires discipline to truly follow such a schedule. Soon I won't be going to Japan anymore, but the next time I take a long trip, I will definitely try the app. Because anything is better than stumbling half-asleep through your own dream trip.

Image: Aisha Potter Source: NYTIMES