Jetlag… in your tummy?!
This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.
European vacation! Get ready for amazing food. But wait. No matter how much you eat, nothing hits the spot after you land. Why?
It turns out that transatlantic flights mess up your sleep cycle AND your metabolism!
Researchers at the University of Surrey studied fourteen adults over eight days. They shifted participants’ sleep, meal times, and light exposure by five hours—like mild jetlag. Metabolism was tracked through energy use, blood sugar, and digestion.
And? Digestion slowed, making nutrient absorption harder. Blood sugar fluctuated, increasing the risk of energy crashes. Luckily, metabolism bounces back within a few days!
So, on your next trip, save the best meals for last. Remember, your metabolism’s on a layover too–give it time to land!
Reference: Flanagan, A., Ruddick-Collins, L.C., Fielding, B. et al. Short-term changes in human metabolism following a 5-h delay of the light-dark and behavioral cycle. iScience, 27 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2024.111161