Prophylaxe und Therapie des Jet-Lag-Syndroms

Air travel crossing time-zones is associated with shifts in local time. The changes occur very rapidly and cause mismatching between external time cues and the internal body clock. The biological systems is unable to adjust immediately to the new local time, and it can take several days or even weeks before complete synchrony is regained. During the transition from the preflight to the postflight steady state, not only physiological functions are affected, but also the rhythms of performance and behavior. Magnitude and duration of these changes are influenced by number of time zones, individual propensity anf flight direction. In general, the effects are more pronounced and resynchronisation occurs more slowly after eastward flights than after westward ones. Jet-lag Sndrom is now beeing used as the term for a variety of symptoms that are experienced: reduced well-beeing, impaired body functions and performance efficiency, sleep disturbances, as well as dizziness and fatigue at unusal times of the local day. The thesis examines the published literature of the last 20 years and analyses 140 articles with the emphasis on treatment of jet-lag. Several approaches have been investigated to alleviate the negative jet-lag effects. Hypnotics, melatonin, bright light, special diets and strengthening of natural time-givers. No special measures are advised for tourists whereas businessmen should prepare for accouring time shifts accordingly. If possible, a preadjustment of sleep-activity schedules reduced the intensity and duration of the jet-lag Syndrom. These Countermeasures are recommended only if the traveller plans to stay for some days in the new time zones; for short stays (48h or less), adjustment of the body clock is not possible and should be avoided.

Grantor dc:publisher

Publikationsserver der RWTH Aachen University

Year dc:date

2001

Author dc:creator

• Thomeczek, Helga Maria

Contributors dc:contributor

• Gerzer, Rupert

• info:eu-repo/classification/ddc/610
• Medizin

Statement dc:rights

• info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

Language dc:language

ger

Identifier

https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/search?p=id:%22RWTH-CONV-118470%22

OAI record oai:identifier

https://publications.rwth-aachen.de/oai2d?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=oai_dc&identifier=oai%3Apublications.rwth-aachen.de%3A56359