PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R Manfredini
AU  - F Manfredini
AU  - C Fersini
AU  - F Conconi
TI  - Circadian rhythms, athletic performance, and jet lag.
AID  - 10.1136/bjsm.32.2.101
DP  - 1998 Jun 01
TA  - British Journal of Sports Medicine
PG  - 101--106
VI  - 32
IP  - 2
4099  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/32/2/101.short
4100  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/32/2/101.full
SO  - Br J Sports Med1998 Jun 01; 32
AB  - Rapid air travel across several time zones exposes the traveller to a shift in his/her internal biological clock. The result is a transient desynchronisation of the circadian rhythm, called jet lag, lasting until the rhythm is rephased to the new environmental conditions. The most commonly experienced symptoms are sleep disorders, difficulties with concentrating, irritability, depression, fatigue, disorientation, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal disturbance. Apart from the decrements in mental and physical performance directly consequent on such symptoms, competitive athletes are also exposed to the additional negative consequences of a shift from the optimal circadian window of performance. A brief summary of the possible negative effects of jet lag on athletic performance and potentially alleviating strategies is given.