Jetlag can damage your health

Recent research has proved that jetlag, and also working/partying irregular hours, is detrimental to our health. However, the governing factor to maintain good health appears to be sleep – the lack of good quality sleep is the cause of declining health, not the act of travelling or working unusual hours itself. Both jetlag and working irregular shifts, damages health, a US study of elderly mice has suggested.

Writing in Current Biology, the team led by Dr Gene Block, said: “Whatever the precise mechanism, this raises important issues about the safety of counter-clockwise rotating shift work [where people's shift patterns are altered causing them to have less sleep] and the potential long-term health consequences for airline crews regularly crossing time zones.

Tweet Me!

Recommended Reading • Want To Get Really Beefed Up? • Reduced sleep can lead to increased heart disease risk • Exercise Reduces Effects of Obesity Gene • New Skin Cancer Drug Could Cure Cancer • Lack of Sleep Causes Hardening of the Arteries

Tags: business travel, jet lag, jetlag, long haul flights, shift work, travel health

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 7th, 2006 at 7:04 pm and is filed under Health. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.