George H. W. Bush, Madeleine Albright  and John Kerry have all admitted taking sleeping pills to try and cope with jet lag. Sleep meds may help with jet lag symptoms but they are side effects. For some, judgment, problem-solving and decision making can be impaired. If you are a tourist, then this is not a big deal. But if you are a head of state, executive, entertainer, or athlete, then this could be a problem. There are non-pharmacological alternatives ranging from melatonin to sleep hygiene.

Sleep Tip #117: Take sleep meds with caution to fight off jet lag.