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Our readers are invited to email us with their questions!
Q: I just started traveling for work and was warned about "jet lag," What is it? (Teri V.)
A: Terri, jet lag is notorious for leaving travelers feeling tired and groggy on the first few days of a trip. The effects of jet lag are caused by changing time zones. Moving too quickly from one time zone to another can cause a misalignment between your body’s internal clock and the local time of day at your destination.
Jet lag typically occurs when you cross at least two time zones. Once exposed to light and other time cues at your destination, the body’s internal clock can catch up at a rate of 1 to 1.5 time zones each day. Depending on how long it takes for your internal clock to sync with the local time, symptoms of jet lag can last from a few days to several weeks.
Symptoms of jet lag can leave you feeling unwell and make it difficult to settle into your trip. Until your internal clock syncs with the local time, it may be hard to fall asleep and wake up on schedule.
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Q: Can You Really Sleep With Your Eyes Open? (Pam R.)
A: Pam, Most people think of shutting your eyes as a universal necessity for sleep, but a sizable number of people sleep without closing their eyes completely. Called nocturnal lagophthalmos1, this disorder can be due to an underlying problem or the natural shape of a person’s face and eyes.
Experts are unsure of how many people sleep with their eyes open, but their best estimate is 5% of the population. More recently, one study found that 4.5% of people with dry eyes2 had been diagnosed with nocturnal lagophthalmos. We explore why most people close their eyes to sleep, what causes some to sleep with their eyes open, and when to see a doctor.
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