Jet Lag Tablets

Medication	Pack Size	Price
Melatonin 3mg	10 tablets	£24
Melatonin 3mg	20 tablets	£34

Medication

Pack Size

Price

Melatonin 3mg

10 tablets

£24

Melatonin 3mg

20 tablets

£34

How our service works

If you think you might need jet lag treatment, you can place an order online. You do not need to have had treatment before, or have a diagnosis from a doctor – just follow the steps below:

Start an order by clicking on the ‘Start Order’ button above
Complete a short online assessment by answering questions about your health and lifestyle
A Superdrug doctor will check your answers and approve treatment if it’s right for you

If the treatments we offer are not right for you, you’ll get a message from a Superdrug doctor explaining this and offering advice on what to do next.

Important: When you order a generic (non-branded) medication, it may arrive in different packaging or under a different name to what’s pictured or what you expect. This is because we order from a variety of different suppliers to make sure you always have your medication available when you need it. The medication you receive will contain the same ingredients and work in exactly the same way.

About Jet Lag

What is jet lag?

Jet lag is a condition which occurs when crossing several time zones due to travel. Our need for sleep and levels of alertness depend on something that happens in our bodies called the circadian cycle. The Circadian cycle determines the time of the day we feel awake or tired. It can be affected by events from the outside world and is also affected by daylight and darkness. When taking a long distance flight, you arrive in a new environment where the time of day might be different to the time of day your “body clock” thinks it is. This can make it difficult to adapt to the local time at your destination, which we call ‘jet lag’

Travellers usually find that they tolerate travelling west better than travelling east. This is due to the fact that our circadian cycle adapts faster when we are required to stay up longer to adjust to the local time. When travelling east, our circadian cycle tends to take longer to adapt, as it is more difficult to sleep earlier than it is to stay awake for longer. When travelling east, travellers tend to experience worse jet lag symptoms.

What are the symptoms of jet lag?

The risk of jet lag symptoms increases with the number of time zones you cross when flying. Travellers do not usually suffer from jet lag unless they cross at least three time zones. The more time zones you cross, the more noticeable the time difference will be.

The most common jet lag symptom is a disturbed sleeping cycle. You may find it difficult to sleep at night and stay awake during the daytime at your destination. As a result, you may feel lethargic, tired and have problems concentrating.

Other possible symptoms of jet lag include:

digestion problems such as nausea, indigestion, diarrhoea and constipation
changes in appetite
confusion and light-headedness
irritability and light-headedness
feelings of disorientation and clumsiness
memory problems
increased sweating
headaches
sore muscles
generally feeling unwell
irregular periods (affect women who travel on a regular basis)

These symptoms should subside within 2 days. Depending on how many time zones you cross, they may remain for several days.

How can I overcome jet lag?

Although it is difficult to avoid jet lag entirely when travelling over long distances, there are steps you can take to overcome jet lag quicker.

Begin your journey well rested, after a good night’s sleep.
Start settling into the correct routine while you are still on the plane, by trying to sleep when it is nighttime at your destination.
Once you have arrived, you should try to adapt to the correct schedule as soon as possible.
You can also take medication to help manage your symptoms to relieve jet lag faster.

Medical information for Melatonin 3mg

Each film-coated tablet contains 3mg of melatonin. The standard dose is 3mg (1 tablet) daily for a maximum of 5 days. The first dose should be taken upon arrival at your destination at the habitual bed-time.

Due to the potential for incorrectly timed intake of melatonin to have no effect, or an adverse effect, on re-synchronisation following jet-lag, Melatonin 3mg film-coated tablets should not be taken before 8pm or after 4am at destination.

Food can enhance the increase in plasma melatonin concentration. Intake of melatonin with carbohydrate-rich meals may impair blood glucose control for several hours. It is recommended that food is not consumed 2 hours before and 2 hours after intake of Melatonin 3mg film-coated tablets.

As alcohol can impair sleep and potentially worsen certain symptoms of jet lag (e.g. headache, morning fatigue, and concentration) it is recommended that alcohol is not consumed when taking Melatonin 3mg film-coated tablets.

Melatonin 3mg film-coated tablets may be taken for a maximum of 16 treatment periods per year.

Melatonin must not be used with any other sedative medications or sleeping tablets.

Melatonin can interact with other medications - please check with your doctor if you are taking any other medicines (prescription or over the counter).

Possible side effects of the medication

WARNING: Melatonin will cause drowsiness therefore should only be used at bedtime and not when drowsiness could pose a danger to your safety and well-being (e.g. if driving or using machinery).

Drowsiness/sleepiness, headache, and dizziness/disorientation are the most frequently reported adverse effects when melatonin is taken on a short-term basis to treat jet lag. Drowsiness, headache, dizziness, and nausea are also the adverse effects reported most frequently when typical clinical doses of melatonin have been taken for periods of several days to several weeks by healthy persons and patients. For a full list of side effects, please refer to the patient information leaflet.

To place an order, fill in a brief questionnaire. One of our doctors will review your order and prescribe a treatment if suitable. Existing patients should login first.

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