Occupational Diseases: Jet Lag Can Hurt Health

A study of mice published in Current Biology suggests that disruptions in circadian rhythm, such as those caused by jet lag or irregular shifts , can be deleterious to the health of workers. Mice subjected to irregular sleep-wake patterns died earlier than mice who were not. Researchers say the findings raise concerns about the health impacts irregular shifts, but that frequent-fliers and shift-workers should not panic.

Jetlag 'can damage your health'

The team of researchers, from the University of Virginia, looked at how old and young mice were affected by changes in the normal balance of day to night. For example, in one trial, the mice's clocks were "put forward by six hours, so they had less time in the dark. Younger mice appeared unaffected by the changes in schedule. However, older mice shower drastic increases in death rates when their nights were shortened. Dr. Gene Block, the team leader, said that "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."