Ilona De March, who lives in Amsterdam and travels frequently to Atlanta, has a strict rule when she flies across time zones: no alcohol.
A business traveler for 20 years, Ms. De March, a president at BCD Travel, knows the intricacies of long-haul flying — what works and what doesn’t.
When she arrives, she has another guideline. “I don’t lie down because then I would fall asleep,” she said. “I get busy working; I contact people in Atlanta. Then I am able to go to sleep at the right time.” What is the right time?
For her, the right time is nighttime in Atlanta. “I am trying to listen to my own body,” said Ms. De March, who oversees BCD Travel’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
She still relishes the lifestyle. “I still haven’t lost the interest,” she said, though she added that “the travel isn’t as glamorous as it used to be, with tighter security.”
Yet, according to circadian rhythm experts, the lifestyle can take a toll on the mind and body. Just how much it affects an individual varies.
Research from June 2012 by AirPlus International, a global corporate card provider, in partnership with Business Travel Market, showed that executives who travel frequently could suffer from “decreases in mental capacity, increased stress levels and decreased productivity.”
The study, which used a tiny device called the Bodyguard to monitor heart rate variations, compared travelers with nontravelers during a 72-hour period.
The business travelers showed reduced mental capacity, diminished communication skills, decreased ability to concentrate and engage others, reduced tolerance levels and an increased risk of ill health. It corroborated earlier research by Mark Rosekind, the former director of NASA’s fatigue countermeasures program who is now a member of the National Transportation Safety Board. The average executive’s productivity and performance while traveling drops up to 20 percent, largely because of insufficient sleep, according to Dr. Rosekind’s research.
How well individuals cope with crossing time zones varies, and everyone must learn what works. “There are some people who can do it,” said Simon Shepard, a physical therapist in London for Optima-life, a British health and performance organization. He worked on the AirPlus study. “There are some people who are adaptable and can cope very well,” he said. But some people are less aware of travel’s effects, and believe they are sleeping better than they are. Mr. Shepard says he encourages frequent travelers to fly in first class or business class, avoid alcohol, move around while in flight, arrange for an early hotel check-in, have a car waiting when they arrive and stay hydrated before, during and after the flight.
David F. Dinges, a performance expert who has worked with NASA astronauts and has conducted research in the area of sleep deprivation and time zones, agreed that everyone dealt with travel across time zones differently. “Some tolerate it better than others. All get in deficit. There are large individual differences.”
Generally, he said, there are three types of people when it comes to crossing time zones. One, which he calls Type 3, who are very disrupted, “really affected”; Type 2, who are somewhat affected; and Type 1, who seem to take longer before they show the effects of frequent travel across time zones. “They cope pretty well,” said Dr. Dinges, who is chief of the division of sleep and chronobiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Dinges, who travels frequently from Philadelphia to Moscow and Philadelphia to Paris, recounted instances when he and other scientists had arrived in Moscow, Paris, Singapore or Tokyo, and, while waiting in the lobby for a limousine to take them to a meeting, boasted of how well they did with the time zone difference and lack of sleep. The next thing he heard, Dr. Dinges said, was one scientist asking: “Where’s my computer?” Then another: “Where’s my passport?” Both headed back to their hotel rooms to get the missing items.
“What people say has nothing to do with reality,” Dr. Dinges said. “You can have loss of short-term memory, which is especially likely to happen in a novel environment.”
One of the benefits of proper sleep is that it ensures that the brain works efficiently.
Sleep deprivation, Dr. Dinges said, is associated with obesity, diabetes, stroke and heart attack, which could be enough to make frequent travelers question their lifestyle, and some do, he said. Those who have the most difficulty are the ones who quit the lifestyle, if they can. “Eat fish, salad, fruit, juices for vitamins and energy,” said Chris Crowley, senior vice president for global client management for Europe, the Middle East and Africa for BCD Travel. “The big lesson is not to drink alcohol. I’ve been traveling like this for 20 years. I used to accept the first glass of Champagne offered. I would be sluggish and struggling when I arrived. You have to approach the long-haul travel like you’re at work, as a kind of mission. Be as fit as you possibly can be, as well as you possibly can be.”
Dr. Dinges, 63, who has been traveling to far-flung places for 35 to 40 years, said he had developed routines particular to his needs. He does not sleep on planes, drinks no alcohol, avoids rich foods and does not put his airplane seat back, choosing to work instead. “Know your strengths and weaknesses, what happens to you, what kind of mistakes you’re likely to make.” In addition, he said, he tries to arrive at his destination the day before his business meetings.
Over-the-counter sleep medication usually remains in the body for less time than prescription drugs, he said. “Know what drug at which dose is right for you. Don’t guess at it, and don’t mix sleep medication with alcohol.”
Those who travel across time zones recommend a nap to keep going. “Grab sleep whenever you can,” said Mr. Crowley, who travels 220 to 230 days a year. “Even if you’re not tired, you’ll sleep an hour.”
One caveat: Set two or three alarms to make sure you are awake in time for the business meeting or other work commitment.
How to Cope With Time Zone Changes and Jet Lag When Flying
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How to Cope With Time Zone Changes and Jet Lag When Flying
