(HealthDay News) -- Jet lag occurs when the body has trouble adjusting to travel across time zones.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these recommendations to minimize symptoms:

• Get plenty of sleep before you leave.
• Avoid alcohol consumption right before, during, and right after your flight.
• Eat healthy, well-balanced meals and healthy portion sizes.
• Get plenty of exercise during your trip.
• If you take sleep medication, use it only for a few days.
• Follow the local schedule of your new time zone, not the old one.