How bad is jet lag flying to Denver?

It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 16 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 11 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Denver there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Denver?

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 Denver?

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 Denver

Denver is on America/Denver. How much jet lag you get depends entirely on where you start — how many time zones you cross, and in which direction. Travelling west is the easier direction. Stay up later than usual before you go and get evening light once you arrive.

Jet lag to Denver by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Sydney	16	← west	13,407 km	16½ hours	~11 days
Tokyo	15	← west	9,332 km	11½ hours	~10 days
Singapore	14	← west	14,592 km	18 hours	~9 days
Mumbai	12	← west	13,472 km	16½ hours	~8 days
Dubai	10	← west	12,524 km	15½ hours	~7 days
Paris	8	← west	7,860 km	10 hours	~5 days
Johannesburg	8	← west	15,440 km	19 hours	~5 days
London	7	← west	7,540 km	9½ hours	~5 days
São Paulo	3	← west	9,276 km	11½ hours	~2 days
New York City	2	← west	2,619 km	4 hours	~1 day
Los Angeles	1	→ east	1,336 km	2½ 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 Denver

Jet lag happens because your body clock stays on home time for a while after you land. The bigger the offset between Denver 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 Denver 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 Denver.

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Denver?: It depends where you start. From Sydney you cross 16 time zones travelling west, which typically takes about 11 days to shake off. From cities in a similar longitude to Denver there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Denver?: 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 Denver?: 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.