To help beat jetlag, Flinders University sleep experts have applied their knowledge of the human body clock and sleep science into a convenient travel app.
Flinders sleep and circadian scientists Professor Sean Cain and Professor Andrew Phillips have designed The Jetlag Fix, an app for mobile devices developed with Circadian Health Innovations for both iOS and Android platforms.
The Jetlag Fix builds a personal plan for each trip from a traveller’s flights and usual sleep times. The app’s science-backed computational model provides guidance to travellers on when is the right time to seek light, when to avoid light, and when to try to sleep.
Advice is provided before, during and after travel, so that travellers can best adapt to their destination much sooner.
“Light is the strongest signal that resets the body clock, and light at the wrong time – even natural light – can make jetlag much worse,” says Professor Cain.
“Jetlag is caused by two factors: the circadian clock needing to shift to the new time zone, which takes time and relies on appropriately timed light exposure; travel fatigue due to poor sleep before, during, and after each flight.
“Our science-backed computational model solves both of these problems simultaneously, providing the first general solution to jetlag for an individual traveller.”
The researchers realise that travellers need personalised recommendations, and have built these capabilities into the app. “Different travellers have different needs, so each plan is computed for the traveller’s own sleep timing and preferred sleep duration, as well as their specific route and dates.”
The model rates each trip’s biological impact out of 100, to then provide a suggestion of how challenging each trip will be with respect to jetlag. Travellers can see how much the app’s plan will reduce the Jetlag Pain Score for each trip, and how much sooner they will be fully adapted to their destination time zone.
Travellers using the app can then see in real time throughout the trip how their body clock is adapting to the new time zone.
The developments in this app are providing clarity about jetlag for travellers, to dispel many widespread myths.
“Standard generic advice about overcoming jetlag – such as getting some morning sunlight – is often a coin flip as to whether it helps or hinders jetlag adaptation,” says Professor Phillips.
“This widespread bad advice is what has trained AI models. In reality, bespoke advice is needed for each trip, which our app solves. As an example, after a typical London to Sydney flight that lands in the morning, getting natural light on landing makes jetlag worse.”
Some travellers will be surprised that the same flight routes can produce very different jetlag, depending on time of day and which connecting flights are used.
“To help overcome problems, we created the Jetlag Pain Score, which for the first time reveals which trips are the most challenging in terms of jetlag,” says Professor Cain. “This score allows travellers to find better options for popular trips to and from Australia.”
• To download the app, visit the website: thejetlagfix.com