Jet lag running you down? A cure may be in sight thanks to this hormone

It's always been a mystery how jet lag affects some travellers and not others, but no more - the culprit is a hormone called vasopressin. Vasopressin is responsible for maintaining our internal clocks, and sensitive people can be more susceptible to its effects.

Researchers genetically engineered mice that do not respond to vasopressin. Both engineered and normal rodents lived in a set cycle of light and dark for 2 weeks. Then the researchers changed the light cycle by eight hours. And the vasopressin-insensitive mice recovered from their induced jet lag much more quickly than did their hormone-sensitive peers. 

For many people, jet lag isn't simply an inconvenience. The symptoms can be extreme, causing your vacation to be wasted as you spend time catching up on sleep. While there's no cure for jet lag yet, the article Cutting Hormone Could Trip Jet Lag offers us a little hope that a remedy is on the way.

 

 

Get your own travel assistant, help with your trip and personal travel advice, all for free

More Travel Advice Like This

8 Facts About the Panama Canal

Transportation

Panama is one of the fastest-growing destinations in Central America, and the Panama Canal is...

Read More

On the Night Train: How to Jump On Board One of European Travel’s Hottest Trends

Transportation

Europe is banning short hopper flights in a battle against emissions. The move is sparking...

Read More

Travel Millennium Bus Extreme RVs

Transportation

Ever fantasies about just kicking back and living the good life, well instead of traveling...

Read More

Look Ma, No Hands! Unmanned Air Taxis to Launch in Singapore

Transportation

It looks like something out of a science fiction film, but it could be the...

Read More