Jet lag

Jet lag, medically referred to as desynchronosis and rarely as circadian dysrhythmia, is a physiological condition which results from alterations to the body's circadian rhythms resulting from rapid long-distance transmeridian (east–west or west–east) travel on high-speed aircraft. For example, someone travelling from New York to California feels as if the time were three hours later than local time. Jet lag was previously classified as one of the circadian rhythm sleep disorders.^[1]

The condition of jet lag may last several days until one is fully adjusted to the new time zone, and a recovery rate of one day per time zone crossed is a suggested guideline. The issue of jet lag is especially pronounced for airline pilots, crew, and frequent travellers. Airlines have regulations aimed at combating pilot fatigue caused by jet lag.

The common term "jet lag" is used, because before the arrival of passenger jet aircraft, it was generally uncommon to travel far and fast enough to cause jet lag. Trips in propeller-driven aircraft and trains were slower and of more limited distance than jet flights, and thus did not contribute widely to the problem.

Cause

Jet lag is a chronobiological problem,^[2] similar to issues often induced by shift work and the circadian rhythm sleep disorders. When travelling across a number of time zones, the body clock (circadian rhythm) will be out of synchronisation with the destination time, as it experiences daylight and darkness contrary to the rhythms to which it has grown accustomed. The body's natural pattern is upset, as the rhythms that dictate times for eating, sleeping, hormone regulation, body temperature variations and other functions no longer correspond to the environment nor to each other in some cases. To the degree that the body cannot immediately realign these rhythms, it is jet lagged.

The speed at which the body adjusts to the new schedule depends on the individual as well as the direction of travel; some people may require several days to adjust to a new time zone, while others experience little disruption.

Crossing the International Date Line does not contribute to jet lag, as the guide for calculating jet lag is the number of time zones crossed, and the maximum possible disruption is plus or minus 12 hours. If the time difference between two locations is greater than 12 hours, one must subtract that number from 24. For example, the time zone GMT+14 will be at the same time of day as GMT−10, though the former is one day ahead of the latter.

The condition is linked only to the trans-meridian (west–east or east-west) distance travelled. A ten-hour flight between Europe and southern Africa does not cause jet lag, as travel is primarily north–south. A five-hour flight between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the United States may well result in jet lag.

Double desynchronisation

There are two separate processes related to biological timing: circadian oscillators and homeostasis.^[3][4] The circadian system is located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus of the brain. The other process is homeostatic sleep propensity, which is a function of the amount of time elapsed since the last adequate sleep episode.^[4]

The human body has a master clock in the SCN and also peripheral oscillators in tissues. The SCN has the role of sending signals to peripheral oscillators which synchronise them for physiological functions. The SCN responds to light information sent from the retina. It is hypothesised that peripheral oscillators respond to internal signals such as hormones, food intake, and "nervous stimuli".^[5]

The implication of independent internal clocks may explain some of the symptoms of jet lag. People who travel across several time zones can, within a few days, adapt their sleep-wake cycles with light from the environment. However, their skeletal muscles, liver, lungs and other organs will adapt at different rates.^[6] This internal biological de-synchronisation is exacerbated as the body is not in sync with the environment, a "double desynchronisation" which has implications for health and mood.^[7]

Symptoms

The symptoms of jet lag can be quite varied, depending on the amount of time zone alteration, time of day and individual differences. Sleep disturbance occurs, with poor sleep upon arrival, sleep disruption including trouble falling asleep (when flying east), early awakening (when flying west) and trouble remaining asleep. Cognitive effects include poorer performance on mental tasks and concentration, increased fatigue, headaches, and irritability, and problems with digestion including indigestion, changes in the frequency of defecation and consistency of feces and reduced interest in and enjoyment of food. Symptoms are caused by a circadian rhythm that is out of sync with the day-night cycle of the destination^[8] as well as the possibility of internal desynchronisation. Jet lag has been measured with simple analogue scales but a study has shown that these are relatively blunt for assessing all the problems associated with jet lag. The Liverpool Jet lag Questionnaire was developed to measure all the symptoms of jet lag at several times of day, and this dedicated measurement tool has been used to assess jet lag in athletes.^[9]

Jet lag may require a change of three time zones or more to occur, though some individuals can be affected by as little as a single time zone or the single-hour shift to or from daylight saving time.^[8] Symptoms and consequences of jet lag can be a significant area of concern for athletes travelling east or west to competitions as performance is often dependent on a combination of physical and mental characteristics that are impacted by jet lag.^[10]

Travel fatigue

Travel fatigue is general fatigue, disorientation and headache caused by a disruption in routine, time spent in a cramped space with little chance to move around, a low-oxygen environment, and dehydration caused by limited food and dry air. It does not necessarily have the shift in circadian rhythms that cause jet lag. Travel fatigue can occur without crossing time zones, and it often disappears after a single day accompanied by a night of good quality sleep.^[8]

Management

Light is the strongest stimulus for re-aligning a person's sleep-wake schedule and careful control of exposure to and avoidance of bright light to the eyes can speed adjustment to a new time zone.^[10] The hormone melatonin is produced in dim light and darkness in humans and it is eliminated by light.

Direction of travel

North–south flights that do not cross time zones do not cause jet lag. However, crossing of the Arctic Ocean or even the North Pole (often the shortest route between N.E. Europe and Alaska or the Canadian West Coast and East Asia) does cause a significant time change. The jet travel from Alaska to N.E. Europe causes a pattern of a jet lag very similar to an eastward flight at lower latitudes.

In general, adjustment to the new time zone is easier for east-to-west travel than west-to-east. A westward adjustment takes, in days, approximately half the number of time zones crossed. For eastward travel, adjusting to the new time zone takes, in days, approximately two-thirds the number of time zones crossed.^[8]

Management after travelling east

Travelling east causes more problems than travelling west because the body clock has to be advanced, which is harder than delaying it. Most people have an endogenous circadian rhythm that is longer than 24 hours, so lengthening a day is less troublesome than shortening it. Equally important, the necessary exposure to light to realign the body clock does not tie in with the day/night cycle at the destination.^[8]

Travelling east by six to nine time zones causes the biggest problems, as it is desirable to avoid light in the mornings. Waterhouse et al.^[8] recommend:

Travelling by 10 hours or more is usually best managed by assuming it is a 14h westward transition and delaying the body clock.^[8] A customised jet lag program can be obtained from an online jet lag calculator. These programs consider the sleep pattern of the user, as well as the number of time zones crossed and direction of travel (east or west). The efficacy of these jet lag calculators has not been documented.

Management when travelling west

Travelling west causes fewer problems than travelling east, and it is usually sufficient to seek exposure to light during the day and avoid it at night.^[8]

Methods

Timed light exposure can be effective to help people match their circadian rhythms with the expected cycle at their destination; it requires strict adherence to timing.^[11] Light therapy is a popular method used by professional athletes to reduce jet lag.^[12] Special glasses, usually battery-driven, provide light to the eyes, thus inhibiting the production in the brain of the hormone melatonin. Timed correctly, the light may contribute to an advance or delay of the circadian phase to that which will be needed at the destination. The glasses may be used on the plane or even before users leave their departure city.^[13]

Timed melatonin administration may be effective in reducing jet lag symptoms.^[14] The benefit of using melatonin is likely to be greater for eastward flights than for westward ones because for most people it is easier to delay than to advance the circadian rhythm. There remain issues regarding the appropriate timing of melatonin use in addition to the legality of the substance in certain countries.^[10] How effective it may actually be is also questionable.^[8] For athletes, anti-doping agencies may prohibit or limit its use.^[10]

Timing of exercise and food consumption have also been suggested as remedies, though their applicability in humans and practicality for most travellers are not certain and no firm guidelines exist.^[8][10] There is very little data supporting the use of diet to adjust to jet lag.^[8] While there are data supporting the use of exercise, the intensity of exercise that may be required is significant, and possibly difficult to maintain for non-athletes.^[8] These strategies may be used both before departure and after landing. Individuals may differ in their susceptibility to jet lag and in how quickly they are able to adjust to new sleep-wake schedules.^[10]

Short-acting sleep medications can be used to improve sleep quality and timing, and stimulating substances such as caffeine can be used to promote wakefulness, though research results on their success at adapting to jet lag are inconsistent.^[8]

For time changes of fewer than three hours, jet lag is unlikely to be a concern, and if travel is for short periods (three days or fewer) retaining a "home schedule" may be better for most people.^[8] Sleeping on the plane is only advised if it is within the destination's normal sleep time.^[8]

Mental health implications

Jet lag may affect the mental health of vulnerable individuals. When travelling across time zones, there is a "phase-shift of body temperature, rapid-eye-movement sleep, melatonin production, and other circadian rhythms".^[15] A 2002 Israeli study found that relapse of major affective and psychotic disorders occurred more frequently when seven or more timezones had been crossed in the past week than when three or fewer had been crossed.^[16] Though significant disruptions of circadian rhythms had been documented as affecting individuals with bipolar disorder, an Australian team studied suicide statistics 1971-2001 to determine whether the one-hour shifts involved in daylight saving time had an effect. They found increased incidence of male suicide after the commencement of daylight saving time but not after returning to standard time.^[17]

See also

• Sleep
• Sleep deprivation

References

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Jet lag.