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Is jetlag worst going west or east?

By Kiske Asked Aug 13 2008 5:38PM
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Top Answer out of 6

by THE TRAVEL SLUT on Aug 14, 2008 at 5:19 am Permalink

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I have always found the lag harder going east whether it is flying back to the USA from Australia or Asia or flying the USA to Europe.

I am not sure why and I can't seem to sleep as well on the plane either flying east.
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Answer 2 out of 6

by Anonymous on Aug 13, 2008 at 5:39 pm Permalink

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East because you lose time, going West you gain time.
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Answer 3 out of 6

by Anonymous on May 4, 2009 at 6:03 pm Permalink

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The difference is the way your circadian rhythm resets itself. A delay of the light cycle (going west) is accompanied by an immediate reset of the modulators of sleep in the brain. If the light cycle begins prematurely (going east), the brain can only advance its internal clock by 3 hours each day (has to do with the expression of mCry protein). So if you fly from New York to Paris it will take the brain around 2 or 3 days to reset your circadian rhythm.
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Answer 4 out of 6

by Stu B in white tie and tailCOAT on Aug 13, 2008 at 5:42 pm Permalink

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I think it depends where you live...it's worst in whatever direction you travel away from your home...
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Answer 5 out of 6

by gtravels loves her life penguin on Aug 13, 2008 at 5:42 pm Permalink

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Both ways have something negative about it. I'm in New York. When I travel to Europe, it's usually on an overnight flight and I don't really sleep on a plane. With the time difference, that first day there is basically spent exhausted from basically pulling an "all-nighter." Usually I'm fine after that. Coming home, again because of the time difference, it usually takes a few days not to wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning!
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Answer 6 out of 6

by Pugsley on Aug 13, 2008 at 5:41 pm Permalink

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I can't see what the real difference is anyway.
The time of your flight will either favor or disfavor one direction or the other.
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