A few of my friends call me “Johnny Jetlag.” So when I heard that there’s an app that promises to eliminate jetlag, I was all ears.
The promising part of Timeshifter is that it was developed by a Harvard Medical School Associate named Professor Steven Lockley, Ph.D. He claims to have used the latest research in sleep and circadian neuroscience to build it. The algorithm behind the new Timeshifter app has helped astronauts, elite athletes, and top CEOs perform at their very best for years. Now, this much-needed tool is available for everyone. How’s it work? In short, it prompts you to take specific actions (related to sleep, sunlight, food, caffeine) at specific times—all based on your habits and travel schedule.
Timeshifter not only provides advice to help you alleviate the disruptive symptoms of jetlag (such as insomnia and sleepiness), but also addresses the underlying circadian disruption by rapidly resynchronizing the circadian clock to the new time zone. Users on both Android and iOS can purchase individual jetlag plans (starting at $4.99) or an annual subscription for unlimited plans (for $24.99).
Features include:
- “Practicality” filter: Ensures advice is realistic and easy to follow in the “real world”
- Pre-travel adjustment: You can choose to start adjusting even before your departure
- Advice notifications: Notification system offers advice—even without opening the app
- Offline experience: Works well across all time zones, even offline and in-flight
- Quick turnaround: For business travelers who want to be at their best during short trips
- Intuitive three-hour view: See a quick three-hour view, or view full plan for planning purposes.
Even though people call me “Johnny Jetlag,” I know what works for me (getting on local time ASAP, eating meals when I’m supposed to, getting sunlight during the day, taking a short nap and powering through…). I also know that there’s a 99% chance I will wake up at 2am in a far-off place, so instead of just lying there staring at the ceiling and counting sheep like I used to, I now get up and work for three hours and then go back to bed for a few more. I’ve learned to deal with jetlag, but if this app can get me to sleep through the night it’s worth risking $5.
But remember: Everyone is different, so what might work for me might not work for you.
