Effects of Long-Haul Transmeridian Travel on Subjective Jet-Lag and Self-Reported Sleep and Upper Respiratory Symptoms in Professional Rugby League Players

Jan 21, 2016International journal of sports physiology and performance

How Long-Distance Time Zone Travel Affects Jet Lag, Sleep, and Cold Symptoms in Professional Rugby Players

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Abstract

Subjective jet-lag scores remained significantly elevated at 3.1 ± 2.3 on post-8 compared to pretravel.

Jet-lag was highest on post-2 with a score of 4.1 ± 1.4.
Self-reported sleep-onset times were significantly earlier on post-2 compared to all other time points.
Wake times were also significantly earlier on post-2 than on post-6 and post-8.
Upper respiratory symptoms increased significantly on post-6 compared to pretravel.
No significant changes in wellness, muscle strength, or range of motion were observed after travel.

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PURPOSE: To examine the effects of 24-h travel west across 11 time zones on subjective jet-lag and wellness responses together with self-reported sleep and upper respiratory symptoms in 18 professional rugby league players.

METHODS: Measures were obtained 1 or 2 d before (pretravel) and 2, 6, and 8 d after travel (post-2, post-6, and post-8) from Australia to the United Kingdom (UK) for the 2015 World Club Series.

RESULTS: Compared with pretravel, subjective jet-lag remained significantly elevated on post-8 (3.1 ± 2.3, P < .05, d > 0.90), although it was greatest on post-2 (4.1 ± 1.4). Self-reported sleep-onset times were significantly earlier on post-2 than at all other time points (P < .05, d > 0.90), and large effect sizes suggested that wake times were earlier on post-2 than on post-6 and post-8 (d > 0.90). Although significantly more upper respiratory symptoms were reported on post-6 than at pretravel (P < .05, d ˃ 0.90), no incidence of injury and negligible changes in wellness and muscle strength and range of motion (P > .05, d < 0.90) were evident after travel.

CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that westward long-haul travel between Australia and the UK exacerbates subjective jet-lag and sleep responses, along with upper respiratory symptoms, in professional rugby league players. Of note, the increase in self-reported upper respiratory symptoms is a reminder that the demands of long-haul travel may be an additional concern in jet-lag for traveling athletes. However, due to the lack of sport-specific performance measures, it is still unclear whether international travel interferes with training to the extent that subsequent competition performance is impaired.

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Effects of Long-Haul Transmeridian Travel on Subjective Jet-Lag and Self-Reported Sleep and Upper Respiratory Symptoms in Professional Rugby League Players

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