I’m a terrible sufferer of jet lag – I hate that groggy feeling but hope could well be on its way as a pill to combat jet lag is being developed by scientists.

The tablet is said to alter the internal body clock, allowing people to adjust their sleep time more easily. Two studies involving a total of 450 people with disturbed body clocks found a drug called tasimelteon significantly improved their sleep patterns.

Researchers from Havard Medical School say it could be a first-line therapy for a range of individuals from shift workers to travellers to international footballers.

Circadian rhythm sleep disorders are common causes of insomnia that affect millions of people including those who work at night or who cross multiple time zones during travel. The studies found that when patients tried to sleep in a new time zone the tasimelteon drug reduced sleep latency and benefited sleep efficiency compared with a placebo.

The drug can also help to treat long-term insomnia. The drug acts on the body in a similar way to melatonin, a hormone that regulates our body clock. High melatonin levels make us sleepy.