Jet lag flying New York to Los Angeles
Flying New York → Los Angeles crosses 3 time zones westward, so you'll need to delay your body clock (stay up later). That's a moderate case, plan for about 2 days to fully adjust. The interactive plan below gives you a day-by-day light and sleep schedule in Los Angeles time.
Seek bright light in the evening; wear shades or stay dim in the early morning.
All times in Los Angeles local time. Move your bedtime toward the top row and let daylight do the rest.
Jet lag on the New York–Los Angeles route
Los Angeles runs UTC-7 and New York runs UTC-4, a raw gap of 3 hours. Your body takes the shorter route, so the real task is a 3-hour phase delay, everything can drift later. Because this is an westward trip, it lands as a moderate case: expect the first 2 days to be the roughest, with full adjustment near day 2.
Why westward is the easier direction
Flying west stretches your day, you land and it's earlier than your body expects, so you just have to stay up a little longer each night. That plays to the clock's natural tendency to run long, which is why westward trips settle faster. Evening light is your ally: keep the last hours before bed bright and well-lit in Los Angeles, and go easy on early-morning light so you don't snap back too soon.
On the plan above, arrival night targets a 20:00 bedtime in Los Angeles, that's where your body already is, and each day it moves toward a normal 23:00. Follow the sun-and-shade windows and you nudge your clock roughly an hour and a half a day. Adjusting your sleep in the three evenings before you fly (toggle it on) can shave the worst of it off before you even board.
Two practical notes: caffeine helps you stay awake for a westward delay but wrecks an eastward advance if taken late, and a short 20-minute nap on arrival is fine as long as it's before local mid-afternoon. Melatonin timing is the mirror of light, a small dose in the morning can support a delay, but check with a clinician first.
FAQ
How many time zones between New York and Los Angeles?
3 zones, travelling westward. Your body clock has to delay by 3 hours.
How long does jet lag from New York to Los Angeles last?
Roughly 2 days, the body shifts about 1.5 zones per day going westward, and light exposure at the right times speeds it up.
Is it worse flying east or west?
East is harder. Flying east forces a phase advance (earlier bedtime), which the body resists; flying west is a phase delay (later bedtime), which is easier because our natural clock runs slightly longer than 24 hours.