This episode breaks down a 2026 narrative review examining the physiological and performance effects of long-haul travel and jet lag in athletes.

I explore the difference between travel fatigue and jet lag, the role of circadian rhythms and the suprachiasmatic nucleus, and why disruptions in sleep, hormones, and nervous system function don’t always translate into predictable performance outcomes.

The takeaway isn’t that travel ruins performance—it’s that the relationship between physiology and performance is far more complex than most people assume.

• The difference between travel fatigue and jet lag

• How the circadian system (SCN, peripheral clocks, zeitgebers) regulates performance

• Why eastward travel is harder than westward travel

• The concept of phase delay vs phase advance

• Physiological disruptions:

  • Sleep

  • Hormones (cortisol)

  • Core body temperature

  • Heart rate variability (HRV)

• Why performance outcomes are inconsistent across studies

• Which performance domains are most affected:

  • Aerobic capacity

  • Coordination

  • Skill execution

• Why strength and power are less consistently impacted

• The limits of current interventions:

  • Light exposure

  • Melatonin

  • Caffeine

• Travel clearly disrupts the body’s internal timing system

• Physiological changes are consistent—but performance changes are not

• Effects are context-dependent:

  • sport type

  • timing of competition

  • individual differences

• Athletes can often compensate in the short term

• Current intervention strategies lack strong, consistent evidence

Do Long-Haul Travel and Jet Lag Affect Athletes’ Physiological, Humoral and Performance Outcomes?
Benito et al., 2026
Published in Sports

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jet lag, circadian rhythm, travel fatigue, sports science, athletic performance, sleep, recovery, physiology, coaching, human performance