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New York Post
2 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
How ‘jet lag' could be making you depressed — even if you didn't travel anywhere
You're running on jet fumes — and you didn't even step foot on an airplane. Jet lag is a common occurrence after long flights. Flyers can feel tired and struggle with digestive issues because their internal biological clock, also known as their circadian rhythm, isn't aligned with their new time zone. Now, researchers are warning of a phenomenon called 'internal jet lag.' A startling examination of young Australians who sought mental health treatment revealed that some of these patients appeared to have jet lag symptoms — even though they didn't travel. Advertisement 4 Jet lag is when a person's internal biological clock, also known as their circadian rhythm, isn't aligned with the new time zone after flying. EdNurg – 'We analyzed participants' core body temperature, cortisol levels and melatonin levels, which we know play important roles in how our bodies manage the circadian rhythm — our 24-hour cycles — which regulate things like wakefulness and sleep,' said Joanne Carpenter of the University of Sydney. 'When we looked at these three measures in young people who presented to mental health services, we found that 23% of patients were experiencing a kind of physiological jet lag.' Advertisement The peculiar findings suggest that healthcare providers should target biological clocks when treating mood disorders. Mood disorders can be characterized by persistent sadness (depression), extreme happiness (mania) or a combination of both (bipolar disorder). 4 'Internal jet lag' is when biological 'clocks are not just delayed but not lining up with each other.' It could be linked to mental health disorders. Marco – The new study featured two sets of participants. The first group were 69 people aged 16 to 35 who visited a mental health clinic in Sydney. Advertisement The other group of 19 young people didn't have a history of mental illness. The participants swallowed a sensor that continuously logged their body temperature. The researchers also measured their sleep and the circadian-related hormones melatonin and cortisol. Your body naturally produces melatonin, which helps regulate the sleep-wake cycle by signaling that it's time for bed. Advertisement Cortisol, meanwhile, prepares the body for activity upon waking. 'We were able to measure melatonin and cortisol levels using saliva samples in the lead up to sleep and after participants woke,' Carpenter said. '[This] is the first time these key markers of the circadian rhythm have been combined with body temperature to study how circadian rhythms might be misaligned in people with mood disorders.' 4 This graphic from the study shows correlations between circadian measures and depressive symptoms in youth with emerging mood disorders. sagepub Carpenter's team found that at least two of these circadian rhythm measures were out of sync in 23% of the mental health patients. She described 'internal jet lag' as when the 'clocks are not just delayed but not lining up with each other.' 'While we do see teenagers sleeping later because of normal developmental shifts in the body clock to later timing across adolescence, what we are seeing here is a more extreme kind of circadian disruption,' Carpenter explained. Advertisement 'This is similar to the disruption we see when traveling across time zones or undertaking shift work, when the body clock becomes out of sync with the external environment,' she added. The study authors noted that the findings — published this week in the Journal of Biological Rhythms — don't establish 'internal jet lag' as a cause of mental disorders. They did find a link between greater depressive symptoms and core body temperature cycles running on an earlier clock than other rhythms and sleep-wake patterns. 4 More research is needed to explore the potential relationship between body clock and mental health to better understand mood disorders. kwanchaift – Advertisement They acknowledged that their sample sizes were small and their data was collected over just one sleep cycle. Also, a few participants in the 'healthy' group showed signs of clock misalignment. More research is needed to explore the potential relationship between body clock and mental health to better understand mood disorders, which are often treated with a combination of therapy and medication. 'This strong early evidence opens up exciting new ways we can study and potentially treat common mental health disorders and hopefully improve the lives the thousands of young Australians living with depression anxiety,' Carpenter said.
New York Post
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Plane passenger spent 45 minutes eating putrid snack on flight: ‘Should be illegal'
There's something fishy going on at 30,000 feet. As if air travel isn't stressful enough nowadays — owing to the recent increase in mid-flight meltdowns, delayed departures and chaotic crashes — frequent flyers are now forced to contend with the funky foodstuffs of their fellow passengers. 'The lady next to me decided to make tuna salad [while in] mid-air,' Katie Georges, a content creator, cried in the closed captions of TikTok footage featuring the woman's smelly spread. 3 Georges sparked virtual fury after posting a clip of a fellow plane passenger eating tuna salad during a flight. TikTok / @chipotlemildsalsa Viral visuals of the fragrant, flagrant foul show the unidentified foodie blending the fish with Greek yogurt and relish. The clip has scared up over 1.2 million views from outraged onlookers online, who've deemed the mile-high madness 'Instant no-fly list behavior,' and likened the stinky stunt to a 'federal offense.' And, unfortunately for Katie and the other trippers trapped on the sky-train, the tuna lover's snack wasn't just a quick bite. 'Took her 45 minutes to eat it all,' a crestfallen Katie captioned the post. 3 Tuna is known for boasting a strong, fishy smell that tends to linger in the air — especially in closed and confined spaces such as airplanes. littlehandstocks – Everybody nose that eating tuna on an airplane is totally funked up. Still, it's a in-the-clouds crime that seems to happen all the time. Ally, a lifestyle influencer, sent shockwaves through social media after sharing a snippet of an unnamed man chowing the canned treat during a recent flight. Irked by the pungent protein, Ally labeled the traveler's mealtime misdeed a 'crime against humanity.' 3 Grossed-out folks online routinely blast air travelers for munching down smelly treats while flying at 30,000 feet. EdNurg – Zavier Torrence echoed similar sentiments while on a separate trip, during which an inconsiderate jet-setter downed a fusty tuna melt sandwich. 'People who eat on flights need to be incarcerated for 10 days,' Torrence groaned in his vid. And it seems commenters beneath Katie's recording concur. 'Tuna should be on the list of things TSA confiscates,' an irate spectator spat. 'I would have started coughing and gagging,' added another. 'The officers would've been waiting for me at the gate,' wrote an equally peeved person, suggesting that being assaulted by the rank aroma of tuna would have triggered a violent eruption. 'I love me some tuna salad,' another admitted. 'But on a plane? Should be illegal.'
New York Post
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Flight passengers reveal jaw-dropping behavior in ‘weirdest things' they have seen
In the 'r/delta' forum on Reddit, a user posted a provocative question recently. 'What's the weirdest thing to happen to you on a plane?' the person asked — garnering some 2,000 reactions to date. Advertisement The user opened up the discussion by sharing a photo of a flight passenger playing a wooden recorder while sitting in a window seat. 'On landing/taxi, this fine gentleman pulled out his recorder and played 'Amazing Grace' for the other 100 or so people on the plane,' the user wrote. 'I'm quite happy he waited until the end of the flight.' The user added that it was 'by far the absolute weirdest thing I've seen inside an aircraft.' Other Redditors took to the comments section to share the wildest actions they'd seen while traveling 30,000 feet high in the sky. Advertisement 'I got stuck in a middle seat years ago next to a young woman carrying an almost life-sized doll head with a full head of messy hair,' one user wrote. 'And no, she wasn't a hairdresser.' Another user said, 'I don't like it when people clip their toenails. I've seen it three times. Twice [in] a row across from me and another time in my same row.' Commented another person, 'A woman put her rooster in the overhead bin, but it got loose.' 4 A discussion on airplane passenger etiquette needs to be had. Julian – Advertisement Wrote one individual, 'A woman across the aisle from me brought spaghetti and meatballs with her onto the plane, but she must have been in a rush because she was eating it out of one of those plastic thank-you bags.' Another Redditor said there was an 'old dude who kept asking me questions about my job even after I put my headphones on (multiple times) to work — couldn't take a hint and then said I was rude for not talking to him.' Said yet another person, 'My wife and I were sitting in 1C and 1D. The guy in 1B pulled out dental floss after the meal and started going at his mouth like he was giving himself a root canal. Full-on two-handed flossing right in his seat.' 4 'I don't like it when people clip their toenails. I've seen it three times. Twice [in] a row across from me and another time in my same row.' EdNurg – Advertisement A user wrote, 'The weirdest I've seen was someone changing their baby's diaper on their seatback table. Yep, the entire plane smelled of dirty diaper for the rest of the flight.' Another user described this: 'Donald and Melania Trump impersonators [were in the] first row on a Southwest Flight. The impersonator knew that I had done a double take when I passed him by. I guess most [people] do.' Gary Leff, a Texas-based travel industry expert and author of the blog 'View From the Wing,' told Fox News Digital that flight passengers need to be mindful of others. 4 'The entire plane smelled of dirty diaper for the rest of the flight.' EdNurg – 'Passengers have a zone of personal space on the plane that roughly corresponds to the area of their seat,' said Leff. 'Within that space, there are all [types] of behavior that might come under criticism (usually in the realm of personal hygiene and grooming), but it really comes down to the discretion of the individual,' he added. Former flight attendant and Florida-based etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore told Fox News Digital about different ways in which passengers can practice proper etiquette on flights. Advertisement Whitmore also noted that it's important to practice spatial awareness. 'The seats may be getting smaller by the day, but that doesn't give you the right to spill over into someone else's space or put your head on another person's shoulder — unless, of course, you know that person well.' As for passengers who opt to remove their shoes, Whitmore suggested putting on a pair of socks. 4 Flight attendants urge those who would like to take off their shoes to at least wear socks. ThamKC – Advertisement 'From an etiquette standpoint, it is rude to walk about barefooted in a public place as many germs can be transmitted from your feet,' Whitmore told Fox News Digital. Leff noted that flying has become more affordable and democratized. 'What that means is that all sorts of different people with different customs and expectations are now thrown together inside a metal tube,' he said. 'Then add in that people may be afraid to fly, or are traveling for emotionally stressful reasons, such as visiting family, leaving home (or escaping a bad home situation) or going to a funeral,' he said. 'Air travel brings together disparate people in stressful times who act as though they're in private.' Advertisement Leff said that he's seen people drinking too much, arguing with a spouse and traveling barefoot. 'Humans are strange creatures, indeed,' he added.
New York Post
24-04-2025
- New York Post
Fear of flying takes off — here's how to cope with in-flight anxiety
Adelynn Campbell's last plane trip ended with a panic attack that she got through largely with the help of a kind flight attendant. That was last year — before 67 people died in January when an American Airlines jet collided with a helicopter over Washington, D.C., in the deadliest U.S. air disaster in almost a quarter century. Now, Campbell is even more hesitant to book a flight. 6 Psychologists and flight attendants say they've seen and heard increased worries, and not only in people who already had anxieties about flying. EdNurg – 'It's definitely spiked my concern about getting on a plane, and it's making the whole situation a little more stressful than it used to be,' said Campbell, 30, who manages a coffee shop in San Diego. Being at least a little nervous about flying is understandable. As Mel Brooks once said, 'If God wanted us to fly, He would have given us tickets.' But for some people, it causes deep anxiety that could require professional help. Here's a look at air travel anxiety and ways to cope with it. More people seem to be nervous about flying The evidence is anecdotal, but psychologists and flight attendants say they've seen and heard increased worries, and not only in people who already had anxieties about flying. 'Even people who didn't have a fear of flying are talking about it, given recent events,' said Jennifer Dragonette, a California-based psychologist who treats people with air travel anxieties. 6 'Even people who didn't have a fear of flying are talking about it, given recent events,' said Jennifer Dragonette, a psychologist who treats people with air travel anxieties. H_Ko – U.S. air travel was down in March and early April compared with last year, according to TSA statistics. Airlines have attributed the decline to economic uncertainty, a decline in government and corporate travel, and — yes — concern about recent aviation incidents. FAA officials recently acknowledged they weren't doing enough to ensure air safety. Recent polling by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that fewer Americans report feeling safe about flying this year. Flight attendants who work planes out of the Washington, D.C., airport were particularly rattled by the January collision, said Sara Nelson, president of the Association of Flight Attendants union. Some asked for time off to process their emotions, and at least one flight attendant left the job, she said. 6 Recent polling by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that fewer Americans report feeling safe about flying this year. AP What is fear of flying? Fear of flying — sometimes called aerophobia — goes beyond just being nervous about a flight. It is an intense form of anxiety that centers on certain aspects of air travel. Many aerophobes get most rattled during take-off and landing, or when they think about being locked in a plane. Some research has suggested it affects about 25 million U.S. adults. Psychologists say it often surfaces in adulthood, developing in people who didn't mind flying as kids but grew more rattled as they aged. In many cases, it starts when people are in their 20s or 30s, at a time they are experiencing big life changes and new responsibilities — like getting married or becoming a parent — and they start to think that 'everything counts,' said David Carbonell, a Chicago-based psychologist who authored a workbook to help people cope with flying fears. A bad flight with heavy turbulence or some other problem may trigger an anxiety that persists, he said. Campbell, who has other forms of anxiety, developed a fear of flying a few years ago. She is transgender, and said travel can be stressful because of concerns about how she'll be treated by airport security or in other interactions. Aerophobia can be complicated, Carbonell said. For many people, it's not so much a fear of crashing as it is claustrophobic feelings of being in an enclosed cabin and not having control. Campbell said that's what she experiences: 'feeling trapped and unable to breathe.' Nelson said flight attendants regularly deal with suffering passengers: 'We've had people have panic attacks, and we've had to give them oxygen. It can be quite intense.' How to cope with flying anxiety Statistics have long shown that airliners are probably the safest way to travel. 6 Passengers leave a Delta Air Lines CRJ-900 jet after it crashed on landing at Toronto Pearson International Airport in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, February 17, 2025. via REUTERS According to the National Safety Council, the odds of dying in an airplane crash are too low to be calculated, based on 2023 statistics, making them far, far lower than of being killed in a motor vehicle crash or, for that matter, walking on a sidewalk or crossing a street. But experts say you can't really reason your way out of an anxiety disorder. Carbonell spends little time on statistics, telling patients: 'I know you already looked at them all, and they're not helping you.' 6 Statistics have long shown that airliners are probably the safest way to travel. AP For people with milder levels of aerophobia, deep breathing often works. Longer exhales help the body relax, said Dragonette, who counseled Campbell for aerophobia and other anxiety disorders at a Newport Healthcare residential facility in Temecula, California. People suffering from more extreme cases can be helped with exposure therapy. It can start by simply getting patients to become comfortable looking at photos of planes, watching videos of planes flying safely, or putting on a virtual reality headset that shows recordings of being inside a plane, Dragonette said. 6 For people with milder levels of aerophobia, deep breathing often works, longer exhales help the body relax, according to experts. Nuttapong punna – It's a matter of getting patients to learn to live with their feelings and better handle them. Carbonell recommends that patients take practice flights that do not involve work trips or any other responsibilities. When they have symptoms, he recommends they keep a written inventory. 'They're keeping a simple count,' he said. 'We're using counting as a proxy for acceptance.'
