Jet Lag

One of the more popular studies we have published in the last few years has been ‘Jet Lag and Travel Fatigue:  A Comprehensive Management Plan for Sport Medicine Physicians and High-Performance Support Teams.’  The paper was written by Charles Samuels, M.D., the Medical Director of the Centre for Sleep and Human Performance, Calgary Alberta and published in our May 2012 CJSM.  It has been ‘hit’ on-line and emailed many, many times.  If you have not had the chance to read it yet, it remains freely available; my colleague Chris Hughes previously reviewed the study in depth on this blog as well.

I am thinking about this study quite a bit right now, as I recover from 24+ hours of travel making my way back from SE Asia to my home in Columbus, Ohio, where I resume work seeing patients tomorrow a.m.  I’m using melatonin to help re-adjust my circadian rhythm so that I can be as ‘sharp’ as possible taking care of the athletes I’ll see soon.  I began taking 0.5 mg melatonin each morning in Thailand 2 days before departing; and now that I am back in the USA I will continue taking 0.5 mg melatonin each night for five nights.  So far, so good.

I thought it high time that I post a poll on this blog.  I have been remiss in not doing so for several months.  And so, whether you are a clinician who manages teams doing a lot of long-distance travel, or whether you are only responsible for yourself, I have written this poll for you!  Let me know your management of this common problem–and if you have not had the chance to read this study previously, by all means do so!!!