How a breath of fresh air could help ease jet lag

A fascinating new study into circadian rhythms from the Weizmann Institute finds that levels of oxygen can play a role in resetting the body clocks of mice. If the same effects were to be seen in humans the implications could be that something as simple as airlines moderating cabin air pressure could reduce the effects of jet lag.

Presently, light, eating times and temperature are the major timing cues that are known to synchronize circadian rhythms. But Dr. Gad Asher of the Weizmann Institute of Science’s Biomolecular Sciences Department and his colleagues, including postdoctoral fellows Yaarit Adamovich and Benjamin Ladeuix, wondered whether oxygen might also influence circadian rhythms since oxygen absorption in animals is linked with nutrient ingestion and maintenance of body temperatures.

But understanding how oxygen influences the circadian clock goes beyond jetlag. Cardiovascular disease, COPD, shift work sleep disorder and other common health problems can result in tissues with low oxygen levels. “We show that oxygen works in mammals, specifically rodents, but it will be interesting to test whether oxygen can reset the clock of bacteria, plants, flies and additional organisms,” says Asher.

 You can read the full story and more on the latest science from the Weizmann Insitute on Weizmann Wonder Wander

This story has attracted significant media attention. Read the Daily Mail’s article here.

The British Heart Foundation is among those organisations supporting Dr Gad Asher’s research.

Published: October 26, 2016