Jet Lag News and Research

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Jet lag, medically referred to as "desynchronosis," is a physiological condition which is a consequence of alterations to circadian rhythms; it is classified as one of the circadian rhythm sleep disorders.

Studies show how individual cells maintain their internal clocks

Two new studies led by UT Southwestern scientists outline how individual cells maintain their internal clocks, driven both through heritable and random means.

2 Jul 2020

Scientists demonstrate importance of aligning internal circadian clock with day-night cycles

Timing is everything. A fresh example supporting the old saying has been found in connection with the systems regulated by biological clocks.

8 Apr 2020

Changing clocks is bad for your health, but which time to choose?

Changing over to daylight saving time — a major annoyance for many people — may be on its way out as lawmakers cite public health as a prime reason to ditch the twice-yearly clock-resetting ritual.

14 Feb 2020

Study explains how certain mutations can shorten biological clock timing

A new study of molecular interactions central to the functioning of biological clocks explains how certain mutations can shorten clock timing, making some people extreme "morning larks" because their internal clocks operate on a 20-hour cycle instead of being synchronized with the 24-hour cycle of day and night.

13 Feb 2020

Novel melatonin receptor molecules potentially address circadian rhythm disturbances

Like breathing or blinking, behaviors regulated by our circadian rhythms, such as digestion and sleep-wake cycles, go unnoticed by most people.

10 Feb 2020

Researchers receive $1 million grant to study effects of bacteria on the brain

With a $1 million grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation, neuroscience researchers at Washington State University and the University of Massachusetts Amherst will explore whether variations in brain levels of bacterial fragments can account for life's sleep/wake and 24-hour cycles, known as circadian rhythms.

3 Feb 2020

Fat cells can sense light, not getting enough raises risk of metabolic diseases

All life forms need sunlight to survive and not getting enough may impact health and well-being. There is a growing body of evidence that getting enough sunlight can promote optimum health. A new study supports this claim as scientists found that fat cells deep in the skin can detect sunlight and not getting enough can increase the risk of metabolic disruption.

21 Jan 2020

Lack of exposure to sunlight may increase metabolic syndrome risk

Yes, fat cells deep under your skin can sense light. And when bodies do not get enough exposure to the right kinds of light, fat cells behave differently.

21 Jan 2020

Irregularity in eating schedules during weekend linked to obesity

A new study by the University of Barcelona concluded that irregularity in eating schedules during the weekend, named by the authors as eating jet lag, could be related to the increase of body mass index (BMI), a formula that measures weight and height to determine whether someone's weight is healthy.

21 Jan 2020

Missing one night of sleep may increase Alzheimer's biomarker, study finds

A preliminary study has found that when young, healthy men were deprived of just one night of sleep, they had higher levels of tau, a biomarker for Alzheimer's disease, in their blood than when they had a full, uninterrupted night of rest.

8 Jan 2020

Body clock gene impairs defense against pneumonia

Most living things have an internal body clock which regulates when they sleep and when they wake up. A complex set of genes turning on and off, make this body clock run over roughly 24 hours, and a gene known by the acronym BMAL1 is one of the master regulators of this clock, controlling many other body clock genes and pathways.

6 Jan 2020

Rutgers expert shares tips on how to minimize jet lag, sleep disruptions during the holidays

With shorter daylight hours, stress and travel to different time zones, the holiday season can disrupt our circadian rhythm and create sleep difficulties – making it even harder to avoid stress, enjoy time with family, and finally return to work.

14 Dec 2019

Stress affects circadian rhythm, increases metabolic disease risk

Stress is a normal part of life, but too much of everything isn’t healthy. Every day, people from all walks of life experience stress of various degrees. A new study found that when stress has disrupted the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock, it can increase the risk of developing metabolic diseases.

12 Nov 2019

High glucose impairs circadian clock function, may increase cardiovascular risk

High glucose in obesity appears to gum up the works of the circadian clocks inside our cells that help regulate the timing of many body functions across the 24-hour day and drive the risk of cardiovascular disease, scientists say.

22 Oct 2019

Sleep DownUnder 2019 hosts leading experts to reveal latest snooze secrets

Kiwifruit, cannabis, tongue implants and smartphone apps are among the latest sleep aids in the spotlight at an international sleep conference to be held in Sydney this week.

15 Oct 2019

Researchers identify an immune cell that helps keep time in the gut

As people go through their daily and nightly routines, their digestive tracts follow a routine, too: digesting food and absorbing nutrients during waking hours, and replenishing worn-out cells during sleep. Shift work and jet lag can knock sleep schedules and digestive rhythms out of whack.

4 Oct 2019

Teenagers sleep 43 more minutes each night after intervention that reset their body clocks

Teenagers got 43 more minutes of sleep a night after a four-week intervention that reset their body clocks and helped them go to bed earlier, a study from the Stanford University School of Medicine has shown.

25 Sep 2019

Study: Teen girls who stay up late are more likely to gain weight

Teen girls--but not boys--who prefer to go to bed later are more likely to gain weight, compared to same-age girls who go to bed earlier, suggests a study funded by the National Institutes of Health.

17 Sep 2019

UC San Francisco scientists identify second 'short sleep' gene after 10-year search

After a decade of searching, the UC San Francisco scientists who identified the only human gene known to promote "natural short sleep" -- lifelong, nightly sleep that lasts just four to six hours yet leaves individuals feeling fully rested -- have discovered a second.

28 Aug 2019

Biological clocks in plants regulate the effectiveness of widely-used herbicide

Plants can tell the time, and this affects their responses to certain herbicides used in agriculture according to new research led by the University of Bristol.

16 Aug 2019