Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 2, 2025
08:36
Collecting Sleep, Circadian, Fatigue, and Performance Data in Complex Operational Environments
Published on: August 8, 2019
12.2K
Sleep during travel balances individual sleep needs.
Sigga Svala Jonasdottir1, James Bagrow2, Sune Lehmann3,4
1Tecnical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
Nature Human Behaviour
|February 25, 2022
Summary
Travel impacts sleep by balancing duration: underslept individuals sleep more, while those sleeping over 7.5 hours sleep less. This study used wearable device data to analyze sleep changes during travel.
Area of Science:
- Sleep science
- Human behavior
- Wearable technology
Background:
- Limited epidemiological data on travel's effect on sleep.
- Previous research often focused on time-zone-crossing travel.
- Understanding sleep changes during everyday travel is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sleep quantity and timing changes associated with travel using a large-scale dataset.
- To explore the relationship between home sleep duration and travel sleep patterns.
- To assess the utility of consumer-grade wearable devices for sleep research.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of a global dataset comprising ~20,000 individuals and 3.17 million nights of sleep data.
- Focus on short, non-time-zone-crossing trips.
- Utilized data from consumer-grade wearable devices.
Main Results:
- Travel exhibited a balancing effect on sleep duration.
- Underslept individuals increased sleep duration during travel.
- Individuals with longer home sleep duration reduced sleep during travel.
- Travel wake times shifted later on weekdays and earlier on weekends.
Conclusions:
- Travel's effect on sleep duration is inversely related to an individual's typical sleep duration.
- Consumer-grade wearable data offers valuable insights into environmental and behavioral influences on sleep.
- Further research can leverage wearable technology to understand sleep dynamics in various contexts.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Sleep-Wake Cycles
1.8K
Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
1.8K
01:13Insufficient Sleep and Sleep Deprivation
252
Insufficient sleep refers to not getting the recommended amount of sleep for optimal functioning, even if it's just slightly less than needed. Sleep insufficiency may occur due to lifestyle choices, such as staying up late for social events or work, resulting in routinely getting less sleep than required. For example, consistently sleeping 6 hours when the body needs 7-9 hours can lead to cumulative effects on health and well-being.
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
Sleep deprivation is a more severe form of sleep loss...
252
01:11Understanding Sleep
705
Sleep, an essential biological state, involves significant reductions in physical activity, sensory awareness, and interaction with the environment. This complex physiological process is primarily regulated by specific brain regions, notably the hypothalamus and pons, which govern the sleep-wake cycle or circadian rhythm.
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
The circadian rhythm, a nearly 24-hour cycle, is deeply influenced by environmental light cues. Light exposure directly affects the hypothalamus, which in turn regulates...
705
01:22Stages of Sleep
641
Sleep progresses through distinct stages, each characterized by specific brain wave patterns and physiological responses ranging from wakefulness to stages of non-rapid eye movement, known as non-REM, to rapid eye movement, referred to as REM. Understanding these stages helps in recognizing how sleep supports various bodily and cognitive functions.
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...
641
01:19Management of Insomnia
332
The sleep cycle, an integral part of human health, consists of several stages with distinct characteristics and functions. It begins with a transition from wakefulness to sleep, known as the light sleep phase, followed by the restorative deep sleep phase, essential for physical recovery and growth. The cycle concludes with the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) phase, characterized by high brain activity and vivid dreaming. Insomnia, a prevalent sleep disorder, involves difficulty falling asleep, staying...
332
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
235
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
235