How bad is jet lag flying to Nairobi?

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 Nairobi there is little or no jet lag at all.

Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Nairobi?

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 Nairobi?

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 Nairobi

Nairobi is on Africa/Nairobi. 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 Nairobi by departure city

From	Time zones	Direction	Distance	Flight (approx.)	Recovery
Los Angeles	10	→ east	15,543 km	19 hours	~10 days
New York City	7	→ east	11,842 km	14½ hours	~7 days
Sydney	7	← west	12,152 km	15 hours	~5 days
Tokyo	6	← west	11,251 km	14 hours	~4 days
São Paulo	6	→ east	9,283 km	11½ hours	~6 days
Singapore	5	← west	7,459 km	9½ hours	~3 days
Mumbai	3	← west	4,542 km	6 hours	~2 days
London	2	→ east	6,819 km	9 hours	~2 days
Paris	1	→ east	6,483 km	8½ hours	~1 day
Dubai	1	← west	3,544 km	5 hours	~1 day
Johannesburg	1	→ east	2,926 km	4 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 Nairobi

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

Frequently asked questions

How bad is jet lag flying to Nairobi?: 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 Nairobi there is little or no jet lag at all.
Is jet lag worse flying east or west to Nairobi?: 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 Nairobi?: 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.