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Licensed treatment for short-term jet lag in adults
Order before 3pm — same-day dispatch (MON - FRI)
~5 min consultation
Secure & confidential · Reviewed by a UK prescriber
Suitable age
18 years +
Max per order
2 packs
Consultation
Yes — free online consultation
Melatonin is the hormone your body uses to signal that it is time to sleep. Levels rise in the evening as light fades, peak overnight, and fall towards morning.
Crossing several time zones leaves that internal clock still running on your departure time, which is what produces the broken sleep, daytime drowsiness and irritability of jet lag. Taking melatonin at bedtime in your destination shifts the clock forward more quickly than it would adjust on its own.
This is where the immediate-release formulation matters. It produces a sharp, short-lived peak that mimics the body's own evening surge, which is what shifts circadian timing. Prolonged-release melatonin is designed to do something different: release slowly through the night to maintain sleep in people with insomnia. It is licensed for that purpose in adults aged 55 and over, not for jet lag.
| Active ingredient | Melatonin 3mg |
| Formulation | Immediate-release film-coated tablet |
| Licensed for | Short-term treatment of jet lag in adults |
| Standard dose | One tablet daily, maximum 5 days per trip |
| Maximum dose | Two tablets (6mg) together if 3mg is insufficient |
| Annual limit | Up to 16 treatment periods per year |
Take one tablet at your target bedtime in the destination time zone, starting on the day you arrive.
Swallow the tablet whole with water. Taking it on an empty stomach is preferred, as food slows absorption and blunts the peak that does the work.
Continue for up to 5 days. If one tablet is not enough, the dose can be increased to two tablets (6mg) taken together, though higher doses mainly bring on drowsiness faster rather than shifting the body clock further.
Timing matters more than dose. Do not take melatonin after 4am local time — taking it too late can shift your body clock in the wrong direction and make jet lag worse rather than better.
Avoid alcohol while taking it. Alcohol disrupts sleep architecture and can worsen the headache, morning grogginess and poor concentration that come with jet lag.
Do not use for more than 16 separate treatment periods in a year.
Circadin is prolonged-release melatonin 2mg, licensed for short-term insomnia in adults aged 55 and over. It releases slowly through the night to maintain sleep. These 3mg tablets are immediate-release and licensed specifically for jet lag, producing a sharp evening peak that shifts your body clock. They do different jobs and are not interchangeable.
At your target bedtime in the destination time zone, starting the night you arrive. Timing is more important than dose. Do not take it after 4am local time, as a late dose can shift your body clock the wrong way and make jet lag worse.
Up to 5 days per trip. If jet lag has not settled after that, it is usually a sign your body clock is adjusting on its own timeline rather than a reason to keep taking it. There is also an annual limit of 16 separate treatment periods.
It is intended for use after arrival, at bedtime in the new time zone. Taking it before departure or during the flight can shift your body clock in the wrong direction, depending on which way you are travelling.
It can. Morning drowsiness, headache and a feeling of disorientation are the most commonly reported effects. Do not drive or operate machinery for several hours after a dose, and take extra care if you have onward travel planned.
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