GLOBETROTTING across several time zones on long-haul flights impairs memory
and reaction times by shrinking part of the brain. This might mean that airlines
should allow their crews at least 10 days to recover from jet lag before they
work on another long-haul flight, says the scientist who discovered the
effect.
Last year, a team led by Kwangwook Cho of the University of Bristol found
that airline crew who often travel across many time zones have high levels of
the stress hormone cortisol, as a result of jet lag disrupting their daily sleep
patterns. The long-distance flyers also had some…
