R.T. Custer

Modern life has tricked us into thinking travel is good. It's kind of barbaric for the body. Last time I went to Asia we measured my biomarkers. The data was bad… + 9 days for blood glucose stability + 9 days to re-entrain my circadian rhythm + 18 days for sleep architecture recovery The research: + people who travel constantly for work (3+ wks a month) have measurably more anxiety, depression, and drinking problems than people who don’t + repeated jet lag is linked to memory-region shrinkage in flight crews + your immune system takes a hit. Dry cabin air dries out mucous membranes that block infection which can leave you more exposed to getting sick This is intuitive because the body runs on a clock. Biological processes kicked off by another, with sleep + sun running the show. Cabin altitude is ~7,000 ft. Hypoxia alone disrupts cortisol and suppresses nocturnal melatonin for hours after you land. Cabin humidity drops as low as 5% (drier than the Sahara). If you’re budgeting your international trips: I’d suggest no more than once every 3 months. Evidence shows you need ~1 day per time zone to re-entrain, and east is worse than west. Once Kate gets back she’s starting the female protocol. This also means she can’t travel internationally for at least a few months while we collect baseline measurement. The body understands time zone changes as trauma. I hope that this is my last international trip for a very long time.