Two friends - David and Oliver flew across five time zones in an effort to establish a theory on jet lag. As part of an experiment conducted by the BBC Knowledge team, the two friends were given instructions on diet over the period of their flight from the U.S. to the U.K.
David was allowed to eat the food on the flight, while Oliver was instructed to fast for the duration of the journey. Nearly ten hours later, as night approached in London, Oliver and his growling stomach were taken to a restaurant for dinner. Both friends retired to their respective rooms.
The next morning, David admitted to sporadic rest, while Oliver, who woke up at 6.30am to a hot pot of tea, showed no signs of fatigue. They were given tests of motor skills. Oliver showed no lag, David was as good as half-asleep.
The body's natural circadian rythm (biological clock), responds to light. It helps us sleep at night when light is scarce. The biological clock can make small adjustments daily, but it might take a week for a person to adjust to a new time zone.
The solution lies in the mealtime clock inside our brains. The mealtime clock takes over when food is scarce. You can over ride the natural rhythms of your body by tricking the mealtime clock, avoiding any food on the plane and eating as soon as you land will help you adjust better.
David was allowed to eat the food on the flight, while Oliver was instructed to fast for the duration of the journey. Nearly ten hours later, as night approached in London, Oliver and his growling stomach were taken to a restaurant for dinner. Both friends retired to their respective rooms.
The next morning, David admitted to sporadic rest, while Oliver, who woke up at 6.30am to a hot pot of tea, showed no signs of fatigue. They were given tests of motor skills. Oliver showed no lag, David was as good as half-asleep.
The body's natural circadian rythm (biological clock), responds to light. It helps us sleep at night when light is scarce. The biological clock can make small adjustments daily, but it might take a week for a person to adjust to a new time zone.
The solution lies in the mealtime clock inside our brains. The mealtime clock takes over when food is scarce. You can over ride the natural rhythms of your body by tricking the mealtime clock, avoiding any food on the plane and eating as soon as you land will help you adjust better.
For more information, see: Live Science, Beat Jet Lag