Air & Space magazine posted a fascinating short history of "jet lag," beginning with what appears to be one of (?) the first printed appearances of the phrase in a 1966 L.A. Times article. From Air & Space:
"If you're going to be a member of the Jet Set and fly off to Katmandu for coffee with King Mahendra," wrote Horace Sutton (in a 1966 Los Angeles Times article), "you can count on contracting Jet Lag, a debility not unakin to a hangover. Jet Lag derives from the simple fact that jets travel so fast they leave your body rhythms behind."
The reporter continued, "The Federal Aviation Agency has been so worried about the effect on pilots, not to mention diplomats and businessmen, that they have conducted a heavy study under the catchy title, 'Intercontinental Bio-Medical Flight Project.' "
Jet lag (Air & Space)