How bad is jet lag flying to Baghdad?

It depends where you start. From Los Angeles you cross 10 time zones travelling east, which typically takes about 10 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Baghdad there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Baghdad?

Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.

How long does it take to get over jet lag in Baghdad?

A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.

Jet lag when you fly to Baghdad

Baghdad is on Asia/Baghdad. How much jet lag you get depends entirely on where you start — how many time zones you cross, and in which direction. Travelling east is the harder direction. Shift your bedtime earlier for several days beforehand and seek bright morning light on arrival.

Jet lag to Baghdad by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Los Angeles	10	→ east	12,305 km	15 hours	~10 days
New York City	7	→ east	9,643 km	12 hours	~7 days
Sydney	7	← west	13,394 km	16½ hours	~5 days
Tokyo	6	← west	8,345 km	10½ hours	~4 days
São Paulo	6	→ east	11,509 km	14½ hours	~6 days
Singapore	5	← west	7,127 km	9 hours	~3 days
Mumbai	3	← west	3,238 km	4½ hours	~2 days
London	2	→ east	4,090 km	5½ hours	~2 days
Paris	1	→ east	3,860 km	5½ hours	~1 day
Dubai	1	← west	1,400 km	2½ hours	~1 day
Johannesburg	1	→ east	6,843 km	9 hours	~1 day

Distances are great-circle; flight times are rough nonstop estimates. Recovery uses ~1 day per zone east, faster west.

Beating jet lag in Baghdad

Jet lag happens because your body clock stays on home time for a while after you land. The bigger the offset between Baghdad and where you flew from, the longer it takes to catch up — roughly a day for each time zone when you travel east, and somewhat faster when you travel west, because it is easier to stay up late than to force yourself to sleep early.

A few days before you fly, nudge your sleep schedule toward Baghdad time — earlier if you are heading east, later if west. On arrival, get outside: daylight is the strongest signal for resetting your clock. Morning light helps after an eastward trip; evening light helps after a westward one. To see the exact current offset, check the current time in Baghdad.

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Baghdad?: It depends where you start. From Los Angeles you cross 10 time zones travelling east, which typically takes about 10 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Baghdad there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Baghdad?: Flying east — where you lose hours and have to fall asleep earlier — is generally harder than flying west, for the same number of time zones. The table above marks the direction of each route so you know which kind of adjustment to expect.
How long does it take to get over jet lag in Baghdad?: A common rule of thumb is one day of recovery per time zone crossed when heading east, and a little faster heading west. Bright light at the right time of day and adjusting your sleep before you fly both speed it up.