Stretching vs squishing your day
Some people like “gaining” and “losing” time. For whatever reason this confused me, and I'm terrible at math so i came up with this silly model:
The model
Squishing means your usable day feels compressed. Stretching means it feels expanded. It is a subjective feeling, not a precise calculation, but maybe it can help you!
- Squishing usually maps to hard eastbound adjustments.
- Stretching usually maps to easier westbound delays.
- You still need timing strategy, not just direction labels.
Squishing
Feels like there are not enough hours to do everything and sleep properly. Bedtime can get messy fast.
Read the squishing playbookStretching
Feels like the day has extra runway. You can stay awake later more easily, but fatigue still needs managing.
Read the stretching playbookHow to use this with the tool
Look at the Time Zone Change chart, then choose strategy. If the day is getting squished, protect the first local night aggressively. If it is stretched, avoid drifting into random naps and late caffeine.
Research and Further Reading
- Jet Lag Disorder - CDC Yellow Book (NCBI Bookshelf)
- Jet Lag Disorder (CDC)
- How to Travel the World Without Jet Lag (PMC)
- Interventions to Minimize Jet Lag After Westward and Eastward Flight (PMC)
- Melatonin for the Prevention and Treatment of Jet Lag (PubMed)
- Review of Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders (AASM)
This site gives general circadian-informed travel guidance. It is not medical advice.