Jet lag protocol that experienced long-haul crew actually use (anchor sleep, light, caffeine)
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#1 Seven years long-haul, mostly Tokyo-Europe/US. What works:
Anchor sleep: on layovers under 48 hours, protect a 4-5 hour sleep block that overlaps your home-base night. Don't try to adapt.
Light: morning arrival where you must stay up, go outside and walk. Protecting home-time sleep, sunglasses in the terminal, blackout curtains.
Caffeine: scheduled, not mood. Coffee 20-30 minutes before a 20-minute nap; nothing in the 8 hours before your protected sleep.
Naps: 20 minutes or a full 90. The 45-minute middle is the worst.The crew mindset is: manage fatigue, don't fight time zones.
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#2 Short-haul person here but the caffeine cut-off rule applies to earlies too. 8 hours before the protected sleep block. Non-negotiable.
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#3 The nap-length rule saved my first year. 20 or 90, never 45.