Takeshi Niinami, one of Japan’s most renowned business leaders and the globally recognized CEO of Suntory Holdings, recently resigned amid an investigation into the mailing of CBD supplements from overseas. While the details of his case are unique, the catalyst was something nearly every global leader struggles with: overcoming jet lag.
For most individuals, jet lag is dismissed, or at least begrudgingly accepted, as a temporary inconvenience: a little fatigue, a few foggy mornings, and perhaps an extra espresso to help them push through. However, for leaders whose judgment drives multimillion and even billion-dollar strategies, even subtle lapses in clarity can have a ripple effect across organizations, markets, and reputations.
The economics of optimal health for CEOs and entrepreneurs are far too costly to ignore. What begins as disrupted sleep can evolve into a hidden tax on performance, a decline in presence, and in rare but costly cases, a catalyst for reputational damage. Jet lag isn’t merely a nuisance of frequent travel.
For global CEOs and senior leaders, it is an invisible enemy that clouds decision-making, undermines cognitive functioning, weakens physical resilience, and erodes leadership.
Why Jet Lag Quietly Drains Leadership Performance
For global leaders, judgment is currency. Every decision, whether in a Tokyo boardroom, a New York conference, or a London investor call, carries compounding consequences. Jet lag quietly chips away at that currency.
When a leader’s circadian rhythm is disrupted, both their brain and body falter. Research published in PLOS One found that when individuals were both sleep-deprived and circadianly misaligned, their reaction times slowed and accuracy declined, leading to effects comparable to operating under the influence of alcohol. For CEOs navigating high-stakes negotiations, even a fractional drop in acuity can alter the outcome of multimillion-dollar deals.
The consequences extend beyond cognition. A study in Health Psychology observed that crossing time zones disrupted individuals’ cortisol rhythms, altering the hormone that governs stress responses and emotional regulation. This shift doesn’t just equate to a restless night. It also cascades into shorter tempers, higher impulsivity, fragmented strategic thinking, and diminished executive presence.
The Biological Toll Of Jet Lag On CEOs And Leaders
Jet lag doesn’t just cause fatigue or a brief sense of disorientation—it rewires leaders’ performance at the cellular level. Even modest circadian misalignment, characterized by sleeping and waking at hours that are out of sync with your body’s clock, has been shown in Scientific Reports to impair sustained attention and reduce the ability to learn and assimilate new information.
And for executives who spend much of their careers persuading, negotiating, and making rapid decisions, that decline translates into a liability. The longer-term costs are equally significant.
Research in Brain, Behavior, and Immunity found that weeks of simulated circadian misalignment disrupted cortisol patterns and elevated inflammatory proteins tied to cardiovascular disease. For leaders already operating under immense pressure, this accelerates their biological wear and tear, reduces resilience, increases the risk of burnout, and undermines the very stamina required to sustain their influence at the top.
Three CEO Strategies To Conquer Jet Lag
Altogether, avoiding jet lag may be impossible for leaders who operate across multiple time zones. However, the impact of jet lag on leaders’ well-being and performance can be mitigated. These three fundamental strategies can help CEOs and senior leaders transform a hidden liability into a manageable variable:
1. Strategic Scheduling And Pre-Adjustment
The most effective leaders don’t wait until they land to start managing jet lag; they prepare before takeoff. A few days before major travel, begin shifting your sleep and wake times by about 30 minutes each day to more closely align with the destination. This gradual recalibration softens the circadian shock without majorly disrupting your day-to-day life.
It’s also critical to set expectations. It can take roughly one full day for every time zone crossed to acclimate fully. A New York-to-Europe flight, for example, may require nearly a week for complete recovery, which is often an overlooked reality when critical meetings are scheduled immediately upon arrival. Where possible, build recovery days into your calendar and schedule high-stakes sessions for your peak hours, not when you’re most misaligned.
2. Light And Sleep Anchoring
Light is the body’s most powerful signal for resetting its clock. Prioritize natural morning light exposure at your destination, use blackout curtains to block out light at night, and maintain a consistent pre-sleep routine. Even 10 minutes of morning light exposure helps leaders adjust faster and regain clarity.
3. Reject The Quick-Fix Trap
The temptation is to reach for stimulants, sedatives, or trendy supplements. While they may provide temporary relief, they rarely address the underlying biology, and in some cases, they carry reputational or legal risks, as Niinami’s case illustrates. Instead, rely on proven fundamentals: hydration, strategic movement, natural light exposure, adapting quickly to local rhythms, and short, strategic naps—these compound to restore energy without unintended side effects.
The Leadership Lesson Of Jet Lag
Jet lag is often dismissed as an unavoidable nuisance of leadership. In reality, it is an invisible enemy with significant financial and biological costs: diminishing performance in the moment and eroding longevity across a career.
For CEOs whose decisions can alter markets and shape legacies, ignoring its impact is a costly mistake. In today’s environment, where sharp judgment is the ultimate competitive advantage, mastering jet lag is no longer optional—it’s a prerequisite for sustained leadership at the highest level.