The Blueprint Jet Lag Protocol
Bryan Johnson's self-tested protocol for eastbound jet lag: slow-release caffeine in the morning to anchor the new wake time, and a small dose of melatonin before bed to pull your sleep phase earlier. Two ingredients, timed.
Anchor your body to the new morning Bryan used 300mg slow-release caffeine in the morning; he suspects this is likely more than needed and a smaller dose may work as well (see cautions)
Morning caffeine consolidates wakefulness on the destination schedule and helps resync cortisol.
Pull your sleep phase earlier Bryan used 3mg melatonin before bed; he and the Blueprint team think 0.5mg or 0.3mg is probably enough, the study used 5mg (see cautions)
Evening melatonin advances the sleep phase toward the new local bedtime.
Apply it when flying east This protocol targets eastbound recovery (advancing the clock), the harder direction; westbound (delaying) is generally easier
Direction changes the circadian task; eastbound advances are tougher and benefit most from anchoring.
Live on the destination clock Get morning sunlight, time meals and exercise to the new day, and keep caffeine to the morning only
Light, food and activity are the primary circadian signals; the supplements support them, not replace them.
Watch your own resynchronization Johnson tracked recovery via continuous glucose; any consistent marker (sleep timing, energy, a CGM) shows whether it is working for you
An objective signal tells you when your clock has actually re-entrained.
This protocol is modeled on a real study: Piérard et al.
View sources
Bryan Johnson: eastbound jet lag protocol and results (X / @bryan_johnson, June 2026)
Pierard et al.: Resynchronization of hormonal rhythms after an eastbound flight, slow-release caffeine and melatonin (Eur J Appl Physiol, 2001)
Lagarde et al.: Evaluation of pharmacological aids on physical performance after a transmeridian flight (Med Sci Sports Exerc, 2001)
Not medical advice. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a qualified clinician before changing your health routine.
Independent curation. YourProtocol is an independent platform. This protocol is based on the publicly available work of Bryan Johnson and is not created, reviewed, endorsed by, or affiliated with Bryan Johnson or Blueprint / Don't Die.
Is this for you
- Eastbound long-haul travelers
- Blueprint followers who travel
- Anyone crossing many time zones east
- People who track their own recovery data
Cautions
- Bryan Johnson calls this an n=1 experiment, not proof; he himself flags that later recovery days partly reflect natural jet-lag recovery over time, not only the protocol
- He openly questions his own doses: 300mg caffeine is likely more than needed, and for melatonin a much smaller dose (0.3 to 0.5mg) is probably enough; the 2001 study used 5mg melatonin and 300mg caffeine in fit military reservists
- Melatonin timing matters more than dose, and taken at the wrong hour it can shift your clock the wrong way; caffeine is morning-only, since afternoon or evening caffeine wrecks the night's sleep
- Melatonin and high-dose caffeine can interact with medications and conditions; if pregnant, on blood thinners or sedatives, or managing heart, anxiety or sleep conditions, check with a doctor first
- Sunlight, meal timing and a consistent schedule are the free core
- Educational only, not medical advice
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