Lifestyle factors and jet lag prevention: a preliminary cross-sectional analysis of travel wellness among Japanese and U.S. business class travelers

Abstract

We intend to examine whether behavioral and mental health-related determinants including stress level, daytime sleepiness, sleep disorders, smoking, drinking, physical activity, and vegetable intake were associated with severity of jet lag and symptoms of jet lag. We delivered a survey to All Nippon Airways HOLDINGS (ANA) customers in Japan and U.S. asking for their lifestyle information, subjective jet lag perceptions, and symptoms of jet lag, and obtained a sample of 1759 Japanese and 483 U.S. participants. Multivariate linear regression analysis showed a positive association between severity of jet lag perception and sleep disorders (Model 2: [b = 0.43, 95% CI 0.25; 0.61]), but a negative association between severe jet lag perception and both smoking (Model 2: [b = − 0.15, 95% CI − 0.30; − 0.00]) and physical activity (Model 2: [b = − 0.15, 95% CI − 0.28; − 0.02]). Regarding jet lag symptoms, it revealed a positive association between higher jet lag symptoms and perceived stress (Model 2: [b = 0.32, 95% CI 0.16; 0.47]), sleep disorder (Model 2: [b = 0.32, 95% CI 0.19; 0.44]), and vegetable consumption (Model 2: [b = 0.09, 95% CI 0.00; 0.17]). The results varied for other lifestyle factors, including smoking, physical activity, vegetable intake, and alcohol consumption. Given the health risks among business travelers, this preliminary analysis showed the possible importance of developing evidence-based jet lag prevention strategies.