Managing Travel Fatigue and Jet Lag in Athletes: A Review and Consensus Statement

Abstract

Athletes are increasingly required to travel domestically and internationally, often resulting in travel fatigue and jet lag. Despite considerable agreement that travel fatigue and jet lag can be a real and impactful issue for athletes regarding performance and risk of illness and injury, evidence on optimal assessment and management is lacking. Therefore 26 researchers and/or clinicians with knowledge in travel fatigue, jet lag and sleep in the sports setting, formed an expert panel to formalise a review and consensus document. This manuscript includes definitions of terminology commonly used in the field of circadian physiology, outlines basic information on the human circadian system and how it is affected by time-givers, discusses the causes and consequences of travel fatigue and jet lag, and provides consensus on recommendations for managing travel fatigue and jet lag in athletes. The lack of evidence restricts the strength of recommendations that are possible but the consensus group identified the fundamental principles and interventions to consider for both the assessment and management of travel fatigue and jet lag. These are summarised in travel toolboxes including strategies for pre-flight, during flight and post-flight. The consensus group also outlined specific steps to advance theory and practice in these areas.

The Impact of a 14-Day Altitude Training Camp on Olympic-Level Open-Water Swimmers’ Sleep

“…Despite women reporting more sleep problems than men in the general population [ 6 ], in sport settings, male athletes are more-evening oriented than female athletes (who in turn show a larger number of morning types) and have a lower percentage of sleep efficiency and slow-wave sleep than women [ 7 , 8 ]. Sleep disturbances in athletes may be explained by the fact that they are constantly exposed to many stressors that impair sleep, such as high training loads and high-intensity training sessions, early morning training and/or late evening competition, long-haul travel, and high levels of anxiety and stress [ 9 , 10 , 11 ]. Among these variables, altitude exposure may also play a key role in sleep.…”

The Relationships of Sleep Duration and Inconsistency With the Athletic Performance of Collegiate Soft Tennis Players

“…Professional athletes usually experience fatigue and poor sleep and when they travel to countries in different time zones to participate in international competitions, therefore, inconsistency in sleep is considered unfavorable and thought to disrupt the synchrony of circadian rhythms. Not merely one night of impaired sleep but extreme sleep loss or accumulated sleep debt may have negative consequences, and affect subsequent sleep duration/quality, and performance ( Knufinke et al, 2018b ; Nedelec et al, 2018 ; Janse Van Rensburg et al, 2021 ). In Japan, collegiate students join the soft tennis team of university, participate training while studying university courses, and some of them become professional athletes after graduate.…”

The Development, Implementation, and Feasibility of a Circadian, Light, and Sleep Skills Program for Shipboard Military Personnel (CLASS-SM)

“…As high value is placed on physical fitness and maximizing performance within the military culture, it was hypothesized that explaining the relationship between sleep, circadian health, and physical performance may increase participant buy-in. While “sleep hygiene” recommendations typically include regular exercise for sleep health [ 52 ], CLASS-M focused particularly on optimal timing of exercise as well as its direct effects on the biological clock [ 53 , 54 ].…”