I assume this thread will be for airline crews, and not bank employees...!
Further, we all are different individuals.
xxx
Some of us are "day people - type A", and others are "night owls - type B".
Supposedly, the human race needs 8 hours of rest (or sleep)...
I know some who are happy with 6 or 7 hours. I need 9 or 10 hours to rest.
xxx
Through my airline career, I flew mostly long range oceanic flights.
Did not mind 10-12 hrs flights, and being up 18-24 hours from bed to bed.
Local time change never bothered me. My wristwatch is always on GMT.
I went to bed when tired, was up when not tired. Who cares about local time.
Hated short flights, and 4 sector days like we did with PanAm 727s in Berlin.
xxx
Waking up, I am always a zombie. My wake-up call was always 1 hour earlier than others.
To get up, took liters of expresso to get awake and remember my name and location.
xxx
So with a pilot career, think abouty how you are.
Some imagine that flying short flights are best, up at 06:00 and bed at 23:00.
Maybe consider your entire career on 737 or 320s...
xxx
I always went to bed after dinner and 2 glasses of red wine, regardless of local time.
Your body decides what your body time is, not your hotel location.
So what, if you do bacon and eggs at 20:00 local and a steak dinner at 07:00 if that is what you feel.
Who cares if I had a beer at the bar/lobby early morning, then went to bed for a late evening flight.
xxx
Yes, stay away from coffee if that prevents from sleeping.
Strange is, I can have 2 or 3 coffees in Italy and sleep tight.
If your airline rule is "NO alcohol a week before flight" - remember coca cola and pepsi = caffeine.
Give me a cup of tea, and I could not sleep.
xxx
For me, my advice to you is -
Live as your body feels, go to bed when tired, stay up when not tired.
As pilot, be prepared to be on duty long hours, even if flying short flights.
A 12 hours-long flight non-stop is not double physical effort than 4 sectors of 90 minutes.
Honestly - a sector is a sector, no matter how short... or long.
Just my opinion, and how my body reacts.
Now retired, I stay up when I feel not tired. Even for the entire night.
And next day, I might be in bed until the afternoon, when rested.
xxx
And final word - you could be different, and better be a bank teller.
I remember some people suffering from 1 hour local time change in USA and Europe.
Going from UK to Germany, or New York to Chicago for some is a major body time change.
xxx
Happy contrails