Jet Lag in Vietnam: How to Beat It Before Your First Game

Plan on about a week to adjust to Vietnam's time, and keep your first morning for daylight, not pickleball. Vietnam is 4 to 15 hours from most source countries, and the CDC says flying east is harder than flying west. Here is how to shorten the damage, with a plan for your first three days.

How long does jet lag last when flying to Vietnam?

Expect roughly one day of recovery for every hour you shift when flying east. The CDC puts the average adjustment at roughly 1 hour a day flying east and 1.5 hours a day flying west. Vietnam runs on UTC+7 all year with no daylight saving, so the gap depends on where you start.

The day estimates are my own arithmetic from the CDC's average rates, not a CDC figure. The gaps shrink or grow by one hour when clocks change in the northern summer, and Vietnam does not move its clocks. Individual recovery varies, so treat these as planning numbers.

What can you do before you fly?

Shift your sleep by about an hour a day for two or three days before departure. The CDC suggests going to bed earlier if you fly east and later if you fly west. It is a small change, and it gives your body a head start. Pack a sleep mask and earplugs, and book your first hotel night for the night you land, not the next day, so a room is ready when you arrive.

What should you do on the plane?

Limit alcohol and caffeine, and drink water. The CDC says both can disrupt sleep and cause dehydration. Set your watch to Vietnam time when you board, and try to sleep when it is night in Vietnam, not when the cabin lights go down.

What should you do on your first day in Vietnam?

Stay awake through the local day, get outside in daylight, and go to bed at a normal local hour. That is the CDC's core advice, and it is what I would do myself. Walk somewhere pleasant, eat at local mealtimes and keep any nap to 20 or 30 minutes. Longer naps can interfere with sleep that night.

If you land in Hanoi at an awkward hour, read my guide to the Noi Bai airport taxi scam and use Green SM (formerly Xanh SM) for the ride, as explained in my Green SM guide. Arriving tired is when people pay too much. If you'd rather not deal with any of it, we can have a driver waiting with your name on a sign, at a price fixed before you fly.

How do light and melatonin help?

Morning light moves your body clock earlier, and evening light moves it later. If you fly east, the CDC advises seeking morning light and avoiding evening light. If you fly west, it advises the opposite. For big gaps like the US to Vietnam, a doctor or a jet lag calculator can give you a more precise light plan.

Melatonin can help, but ask your doctor first. The CDC says typical doses are 0.5 to 1 mg, that doses above 5 mg are not recommended, and that the timing decides whether it helps or hurts. It also warns that melatonin is not FDA-regulated, so the amount in a product may differ from the label.

What about coffee?

Stop caffeine about six hours before bed. The CDC says caffeine has a half-life of about five hours, and its sample plan stops caffeine roughly six hours before bedtime. Vietnamese coffee tends to be strong, so take that seriously. My Vietnamese coffee guide covers what to order.

When should you play your first pickleball game?

Play on your second or third morning, and keep the first session short. The CDC lists sleepiness and slower thinking among the symptoms, and Vietnam's heat adds to it. Drink water before you start. Choose an early slot, before the heat builds. My guide to playing pickleball in the heat has more.

If you are taking a lesson or entering a tournament, build in a buffer. I suggest arriving three or four days before. My guides to pickleball lessons in Vietnam and playing a tournament in Vietnam explain why.

Frequently asked questions

How long does jet lag last when you fly to Vietnam?

Plan on about a week. The CDC says travelers adjust by roughly one hour a day when flying east and 1.5 hours a day flying west. A 7-hour gap from London takes about a week at that pace, and a 12 to 15 hour gap from the US can take longer.

Is jet lag worse flying to Vietnam from the US or the UK?

Both direction and distance matter. The CDC says flying east is harder than flying west. From the UK you shift about 7 hours east. From the US the gap is 12 to 15 hours, so your body clock is close to upside down. Australia has the smallest shift, about 4 hours.

Should I take melatonin for jet lag?

Ask your doctor first. The CDC says typical doses are 0.5 to 1 mg and that doses above 5 mg are not recommended. Timing matters, because melatonin taken at the wrong hour can shift your clock the wrong way. It is also not FDA-regulated, so the amount in a product can differ from the label.

When can I play pickleball after landing in Vietnam?

I suggest the second or third morning, not the first. Use day one for daylight, water and a normal bedtime. Then play a shorter session early, before the heat. If you are entering a tournament or taking a lesson, arrive three or four days before so your body has time to adjust.

What should I do on my first day in Vietnam?

Stay awake through the local day, get outside in daylight, and drink water. Keep any nap to 20 or 30 minutes, since the CDC says longer naps can disrupt night sleep. Eat at local mealtimes and go to bed at a normal local hour, even if you feel awake.

The bottom line

Give yourself about a week, get outside on day one and play your first game on day two or three. Light, water and a normal local bedtime do more than any gadget. If you have a tournament or a lesson booked, arrive three or four days early.