If I make no effort to do anything about my jet lag I find I get over it in about two days. On the other hand, if I'm careful about adjusting my schedule ahead of time, not drinking on the flight, using sleep aids, and if I take the right combination of vitamins, I can cut that down to only 48 hours.

Good reply FlyFish. And unfortantly only too true!

If you buy the "no Jet Lag" try it out first. I used it once... Let's just say I am NOT the poster child for this product. I was bouncing off the ceiling and then I crashed. It was HORRIBLE. (I have never heard of anyone else having this reaction however.)

Just one more "how jet lag affects each person differently" story...

After several trips from the East Coast to Europe, trying every pill and homeopathic remedy suggested at one time or another, I've found success with NOT taking any kind of pill, drinking lots of water on the plane and getting up and walking inbetween any little naps I can take, and most importantly, when I check in at my destination, I take a one hour nap SITTING UP. For some reason, getting into a horizontal position gives me a terrible headache. Then I get outside, walk a lot and don't go to bed before 9 PM.

Here's my advice, having tried just about everything. And let me preface this by saying that this just what I have found to work for me.

I recommend getting a prescription from your doctor for sleeping pills before you go. I have found prescription sleeping pills seem to work faster and have less of a "hangover" effect. Then, as soon as you board the plane for the transatlantic flight, take whatever the recommended dosage is. You'll be ready to crash right after you eat the dinner they'll serve about an hour after takeoff.

When you land it should be the morning. Expect to be pretty groggy. Push through that first morning seeing some sights, walking around, etc. Just don't try to do anything intellectually taxing (i.e. a flea market in Rome is a good idea, a guided tour of the Vatican is not). Then go to lunch, split a bottle of wine with your significant other, and head back to the hotel for a power nap. Get up around 5 or 6, walk around and head to dinner. You are now pretty close to being caught up on sleep and in sync with the local clock.

One important caveat to this "method" -I always take a sleeping pill that first night as well. Sometimes my brain resists going to sleep, and you don't want to be staring at the ceiling at 3 in the morning in Rome, London or anywhere else.

Hope this helps and have fun!