First jet lag symptoms after travelling across multiple time zones

Abstract

Jet lag is a consequence of desynchronisation of human endogenous circadian rhythm with respect to the immediate environment. The slower adaptation rate of the internal rhythm in contrast to rapid travel in commercial aircraft results in symptoms such as insomnia or daytime fatigue. A group of 53 travelling subjects answered the Charité Jet Lag Scale (CJLS) questionnaire, the first of its kind in German. The CJLS represents a holistic approach to the individual symptoms of jet lag. Study results indicate a possible enhancement by shortening the CJLS to a morning and evening report. Moreover, our study determined a decreasing exponential gradient for jet lag during the first days after travel. Physical and mental symptoms are identified as the primary predictors of jet lag. The CJLS and its future translations could lead to a consistent interviewing method – one key factor for development of future intervention methods to manage jet lag.

Keywords:

• circadian rhythm
• jet lag
• predictors
• characteristic