Joseph R. Anticaglia, MD
Medical Advisory Board
I was speaking with a friend who told me, “Several months ago my wife and I boarded a plane bound for London from JFK. The flight left New York in the early evening and landed at Heathrow around 7:29 a.m. London time. We gathered our luggage at the baggage claim, flagged a cab and were driven to our hotel foolishly expecting to get to our rooms, wash up and relax.
The man at the front desk of the hotel politely informed us, “The hotel is filled to capacity. I apologize for the inconvenience but the room you booked will not be available for several hours. You may leave the luggage with us in the hotel if you wish to do so?
My friend continued, “I felt totally exhausted and could barely keep my eyelids open We made our way to a nearby park and I literally “fell” asleep on a park bench. My wife, thank goodness, was much more alert and dealt with jet lag and the situation much better than I did.”
“Boy that was something.” He interrupted before I could say another word and said, “The problem was I didn’t figure out what to do before the flight, during the flight or after we arrived in London.” As an afterthought he wondered, “How do pilots or athletes handle jet lag when they fly London to Tokyo or others from JFK to Sidney, Australian?”
The most common complaints from jet lag passengers are daytime sleepiness and nighttime wakefulness. Being tired and irritable during the day, unable to sleep at night, experiencing loss of appetite, feeling lightheaded and/or unable to concentrate crushes you mentally and physically. It’s not the best way to begin a vacation, to compete in an athletic event, pilot an airplane or to present a proposal to a prospective client at work.
Located in the brain is a 24 hour biological clock that regulates the time we get up in the morning and the time we go to sleep at night. It’s referred to as the circadian sleep/wake cycle.
When we travel rapidly in an airplane across two or more time zones, for example, from New York to London, our biological clock needs time to adjust to the new time zone. How quickly and how many time zones the passenger crosses will determine to a significant degree how much time is needed to adjust to the new time zone. It’s been said that for each time zone you cross, the body clock needs one day to adjust. Other considerations to be aware of are whether you’re travelling east or west and that some people are more susceptible to jet lag than others.
Jet lag can diminish peak performance in the sports area and in the cockpit. The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has issued strategies and countermeasures to reduce jet lag’s detrimental effect on performance. Some of the adverse effects of jet lag on performance according to the USOC include:
Other studies suggest because of jet lag people are less inclined to interact socially and there’s a reduction in motivation and resolve.
Jet pilots and others caution that every traveller is unique when it comes to jet lag. Although there is not a “magic bullet” for jet lag, the prevention tips of pilots and the USOC might reduce the days of jet lag and make your next flight less stressful.
The symptoms of jet lag are temporary and there’s no magic cure for this type of sleep deprivation. But if you are a frequent flyer and are plagued by jet lag, you may benefit by seeing a sleep specialist
References Andrew M. Vosko et al; Jet Lag Syndrome: Circadian Organization. Pathophysiology and Management Strategies; Nat Sci Sleep; Aug 19, 2010
Martha Merrow et al; The Circadian Cycle; Daily Rhythms from Behavior to Genes; Embro Rep Oct 6, 2005
Jet Lag; Countermeasures and Travel Strategies; Report available from the USOC
Berry RB &Wagner MH; Patients with Jet Lag in Sleep Medicine Pearls; Elsevier Saunders, Philadelphia Pa 2015
This article is intended solely as a learning experience. Please consult your physician for diagnostic and treatment options.
