Abstract
Jet lag disorder results from circadian misalignment that occurs after traveling across two or more time zones rapidly such that the body’s biologic clock does not have enough time to adjust to the external environment. Jet lag disorder is characterized by nighttime insomnia, daytime sleepiness, depressed mood, and somatic symptoms such as gastrointestinal disturbances. The severity of symptoms depends on individual factors, the direction of travel, and the number of time zones crossed. Eastward travel is typically more difficult to adapt to than westward travel. Jet lag disorder is generally a self-limited and benign condition, with resolution of symptoms noted within a few days and up to 1 week. The main principle of treatment of jet lag disorder is to accelerate realignment of the circadian clock to the environment through timed bright light exposure and exogenous ingestion of melatonin.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Sack RL. The pathophysiology of jet lag. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2009;7(2):102–10.
Moline ML, Pollak CP, Monk TH, Lester LS, Wagner DR, Zendell SM, et al. Age-related differences in recovery from simulated jet lag. Sleep. 1992;15(1):28–40.
Waterhouse J, Edwards B, Nevill A, Carvalho S, Atkinson G, Buckley P, et al. Identifying some determinants of "jet lag" and its symptoms: a study of athletes and other travellers. Br J Sports Med. 2002;36(1):54–60.
Sack RL, Auckley D, Auger RR, Carskadon MA, Wright KP Jr, Vitiello MV, et al. Circadian rhythm sleep disorders: part I, basic principles, shift work and jet lag disorders. An American Academy of Sleep Medicine review. Sleep. 2007;30(11):1460–83.
Medicine AAoS. International classification of sleep disorders. 3rd ed. American Academy of Sleep Medicine: Darien; 2014.
Waterhouse J, Reilly T, Atkinson G, Edwards B. Jet lag: trends and coping strategies. Lancet. 2007;369(9567):1117–29.
Kolla BP, Auger RR. Jet lag and shift work sleep disorders: how to help reset the internal clock. Cleve Clin J Med. 2011;78(10):675–84.
Czeisler CA, Duffy JF, Shanahan TL, Brown EN, Mitchell JF, Rimmer DW, et al. Stability, precision, and near-24-hour period of the human circadian pacemaker. Science. 1999;284(5423):2177–81.
Auger RR, Burgess HJ, Emens JS, Deriy LV, Thomas SM, Sharkey KM. Clinical practice guideline for the treatment of intrinsic circadian rhythm sleep-wake disorders: advanced sleep-wake phase disorder (ASWPD), delayed sleep-wake phase disorder (DSWPD), non-24-hour sleep-wake rhythm disorder (N24SWD), and irregular sleep-wake rhythm disorder (ISWRD). An update for 2015: an American academy of sleep medicine clinical practice guideline. J Clin Sleep Med. 2015;11(10):1199–236.
Borbely AA, Achermann P. Concepts and models of sleep regulation: an overview. J Sleep Res. 1992;1(2):63–79.
Srinivasan V, Spence DW, Pandi-Perumal SR, Trakht I, Cardinali DP. Jet lag: therapeutic use of melatonin and possible application of melatonin analogs. Travel Med Infect Dis. 2008;6(1–2):17–28.
Reid KJ, Abbott SM. Jet lag and shift work disorder. Sleep Med Clin. 2015;10(4):523–35.
Stone BM. Sleep and low doses of alcohol. Electroencephalogr Clin Neurophysiol. 1980;48(6):706–9.
Walsh JK, Muehlbach MJ, Schweitzer PK. Hypnotics and caffeine as countermeasures for shiftwork-related sleepiness and sleep disturbance. J Sleep Res. 1995;4(S2):80–3.
Reid KJ, Burgess HJ. Circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Prim Care. 2005;32(2):449–73.
Suhner A, Schlagenhauf P, Hofer I, Johnson R, Tschopp A, Steffen R. Effectiveness and tolerability of melatonin and zolpidem for the alleviation of jet lag. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2001;72(7):638–46.
Suhner A, Schlagenhauf P, Johnson R, Tschopp A, Steffen R. Comparative study to determine the optimal melatonin dosage form for the alleviation of jet lag. Chronobiol Int. 1998;15(6):655–66.
Paul MA, Gray G, Sardana TM, Pigeau RA. Melatonin and zopiclone as facilitators of early circadian sleep in operational air transport crews. Aviat Space Environ Med. 2004;75(5):439–43.
Edwards BJ, Atkinson G, Waterhouse J, Reilly T, Godfrey R, Budgett R. Use of melatonin in recovery from jet-lag following an eastward flight across 10 time-zones. Ergonomics. 2000;43(10):1501–13.
Herxheimer A, Petrie KJ. Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(2):Cd001520.
Petrie K, Conaglen JV, Thompson L, Chamberlain K. Effect of melatonin on jet lag after long haul flights. BMJ. 1989;298(6675):705–7.
Petrie K, Dawson AG, Thompson L, Brook R. A double-blind trial of melatonin as a treatment for jet lag in international cabin crew. Biol Psychiatry. 1993;33(7):526–30.
Jamieson AO, Zammit GK, Rosenberg RS, Davis JR, Walsh JK. Zolpidem reduces the sleep disturbance of jet lag. Sleep Med. 2001;2(5):423–30.
Piérard C, Beaumont M, Enslen M, Chauffard F, Tan DX, Reiter RJ, et al. Resynchronization of hormonal rhythms after an eastbound flight in humans: effects of slow-release caffeine and melatonin. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2001;85(1–2):144–50.
Beaumont M, Batéjat D, Piérard C, Van Beers P, Denis JB, Coste O, et al. Caffeine or melatonin effects on sleep and sleepiness after rapid eastward transmeridian travel. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2004;96(1):50–8.
Rosenberg RP, Bogan RK, Tiller JM, Yang R, Youakim JM, Earl CQ, et al. A phase 3, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of armodafinil for excessive sleepiness associated with jet lag disorder. Mayo Clin Proc. 2010;85(7):630–8.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pena-Orbea, C., Kolla, B.P., Mansukhani, M.P. (2020). Jet Lag Sleep Disorder. In: Auger, R. (eds) Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorders. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43803-6_13
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-43803-6_13
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-43802-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-43803-6
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)