Jet Lag Disrupts Sleep More After Eastward Trips

Jet lag affects sleep by causing greater disturbances after eastward travel due to challenges in advancing the circadian rhythm, leading to reduced total sleep time and poorer sleep efficiency in the first few nights post-travel.

  • Causes more severe sleep disruptions due to phase advance difficulties compared to westward travel.
  • Results in reduced total sleep time and poorer efficiency in the initial nights after travel.
MetricScientific ObservationImpact MagnitudeSource
Eastward TravelPhase advance challengesGreater sleep disturbances than westwardFowler et al. (2023)
Total Sleep TimeDisrupted sleep architectureReduced in first few nightsFowler et al. (2023)
Cognitive FunctionCircadian misalignmentWorsened fatigue and impairmentFowler et al. (2023)