Conjecture/Jet Lag/Fatigue

[jplotinus]

One of many studies on the subject from ther Economist...Just Google "studies on the effects of travel on athletes."
I'm finished on this subject.

Despite travelling in relative luxury, disruptio
n to an athlete’s circadian rhythm is unavoidable. Confirming a widely-held rule of thumb, German researchers found that the deterioration in motor function of athletes after long trips lingered for roughly as many days as the number of time zones they crossed. In a competitive context, a range of studies suggests that these effects are meaningful only beyond certain distances. An investigation of Major League Baseball applied the one-day-per-time-zone theory, measuring whether teams enjoyed a “circadian advantage” over opponents who were less in sync with the local time. Teams with a three-hour advantage—the maximum possible in North America—won 61% of their games, versus a 52% winning percentage for both one- and two-hour advantages. Another studyshowed that east-coast teams scored 1.24 more runs than usual in the first two days against teams that travelled in from the west coast.
These effects are similar in other sports. Over the past 15 seasons in the National Football League, visiting teams that travel less than 1,000 miles won 43% of their games, versus 40% when travelling 2,000 miles or more. An older study found statistical significance only among west-coast teams, who saw their away-game winning percentage fall by 16% when playing on the east coast, compared with travelling within their home time zone.
Interestingly, the directional effect is reversed for basketball: teams crossing the country from west to east...

Most of Indiana is in eastern time zone, some parts central. Perhaps NDs travel to CT will help even the odds and/or balance uconn's now fully documented and proven lag.

Just askin...

 

[doggydaddy]

I'll just repeat what Cat said.

"The team had all day Tuesday to sleep. The team practiced Wednesday and according to Geno would spend Thurs and Friday getting ready for ND. Geno and Doty were guests on Geno's show on wtic last night and neither sounded concerned. They're young and strong and will be unaffected by the travel schedule. "

Everything I've read said 1 day per time zone to recover.

Even if you don't count Tuesday, that leaves Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. So, they will
be 100% on Saturday. Did it affect their practices? Maybe some. To actually have impact on the game where you can quantify it? No. No chance. 5-7 points? Insane.

 

[Sonny44]

Lets not look for excuses.
We have a team that looks for ways to not need them

 

[Ozzie Nelson]

I find the issue of circadian rhythm interruption(jet lag) interesting…in any case, it is not an excuse, bur rather a fact that can ,may or may not affect performance.

 

[Husky68]

I'm more concerned about refs and how Hartley/Doty handle the ball.

 

[AndyCT]

I find the issue of circadian rhythm interruption(jet lag) interesting…in any case, it is not an excuse, bur rather a fact that can ,may or may not affect performance.

That’s the point.

I’m an airline pilot so this is a way of life for me; the industry, the government, and the unions have been studying this for decades - it's an ongoing battle. I also spent ten years on submarine duty, the vast majority of that on the midwatch (midnight to six am for those that have never had the pleasure) so I had to effectively go through the equivalent of a time zone shift every time we went to sea, and every time we came back.

There are two issues here – fatigue, and circadian rhythm. Neither is a problem.

The games were both scheduled in the mid-afternoon eastern time, which helps a great deal (late games in the west, or early in the east, are brutal for the team that has the trans-con because that puts them the farthest out of their normal rhythm). Their game and pre-game routines would be close to what their bodies were used to. It also allowed them to (probably) make a direct flight from New York or Boston while staying within the NCAA’s 48 hour travel window; even with bus time it could have been a ten hour journey – certainly less than twelve anyway, so that’s not terribly disruptive, and since it would be dark by the time they arrived in California, their circadian rhythm wouldn’t necessarily try to reset if they checked in, got something to eat, and went to bed relatively quickly. Practice on Friday, game on Saturday (and travel that night to Oregon) should not have been a big deal.

The return trip would have been more difficult – at least one connection, possibly two, and some bus time. Depending on exactly where they flew from and to, we’re probably talking ten to twelve hours of quality airplane/airport time plus some bus time and getting back to Storrs sometime Tuesday morning with some poor sleep. I’m guessing they probably slept Tuesday morning and maybe had a light practice in the mid or late afternoon sometime just to help reestablish their routine and rhythm.

They would be expected to be groggy Wednesday – both scientific and anecdotal evidence is that the second day is the hardest – that’s when the fatigue issues really catch up and play havoc (we can “gut it” through the first day on adrenaline and/or of necessity, but that runs out after a while and the second day always drags). Sleep might be a little difficult Tuesday night since bed time would be later out and west and they slept late into the morning (or early afternoon) when they got back– that rhythm thing. But since they’re on break they don’t have to be up for classes nor do they have to do (much) studying after practice, so after another day or two – today – they should be fine.

Besides, they’re young. They’ll get over it.


P.S. One thing Phil mentioned is the east vs. west thing. I too do better going west but I am a “late” person.

Back in the 1980s the Navy sponsored a research project on “time deprivation” by placing people in an environment (if I remember correctly it was a furnished facility within a cave) and isolated them from anything that would give them any semblance of the passage of time. There was no radio or television, no newspapers, etc. They were allowed books, but I don’t think that they were allowed music (cassettes back in the day) – a person can read at his own pace but that pace varies, while a song, album, or cassette is more or less standard length of time – play a dozen albums and it’s been about eight hours, or a regular workday.

I think, if I remember correctly, that the lighting was like a submarine in that the common areas were lit 24/7 and the sleeping areas were dark 24/7; by being in a cave and sound isolated there would be no sense of whether it was busy (i.e. daytime) outside the living area. The test subjects determined when they slept and woke purely by how they felt.

What they found was that for the majority of people the normal circadian rhythm was a little under 24 hours, while a few were more than 24 hours – those are generally what are known as “morning people” and “night owls”. Because of the presence of the sun our natural rhythm stays in synchronization with the 24 hour sidereal day. But for “late cycle” people like me, it’s easier to stay up later and so going west is easier, while it’s harder to get up earlier so coming back east is harder.

By the way, for any fellow former submariners, one thing they found is that the 24 hour duty cycle was best (not a surpise), and the 12 hour cycle was next best (also not a surprise), while the 18 hour cycle was by far the worst. You can guess which cycle most submarine crews are on most of the time…


P.P.S. – As the Big East (at least as we knew it) continues to devolve, imagine if bi-coastal travel becomes a several times per season event. Not a good thing.

 

[Icebear]

I'm more concerned about refs and how Hartley/Doty handle the ball.

Because their A/TO ratios are so bad to this point at 1.57/1 for Doty and 2.53/1 for Hartley.

 

[meyers7]

Despite travelling in relative luxury, disruption to an athlete’s circadian rhythm is unavoidable. Confirming a widely-held rule of thumb, German researchers found that the deterioration in motor function of athletes after long trips lingered for roughly as many days as the number of time zones they crossed.

So basically you are saying 3 time zones (MT-CT-ET) for 3 days (T-W-TH or if you want W-TH-F), so no effect. You have brought "proof" that DD was correct.

 

[meyers7]

By the way, for any fellow former submariners, one thing they found is that the 24 hour duty cycle was best (not a surpise), and the 12 hour cycle was next best (also not a surprise), while the 18 hour cycle was by far the worst. You can guess which cycle most submarine crews are on most of the time…

6 hours on-watch, 6 hours off-watch, 6 hours down. Repeat for 2 1/2 months.

And then of course drills during your 6 hours down at least once a week.

 

[Replicant]

My experience commuting between the coasts is that coming east is harder than going west...three days for full adjustment coming east...one for each time zone...and 1 day to adjust going west.

I had a monthly LGA to John Wayne routine for a few years and honestly never noticed any jet lag. The worst affect of my bi-coastal trips was the airlines playing the same damn movies for months at a time.

When I channel surf and see certain movies like Erin Brockovich, Throw Mamma From The Train, etc., I want to throw my shoe through the TV screen.

 

[magical2]

I had a monthly LGA to John Wayne routine for a few years and honestly never noticed any jet lag. The worst affect of my bi-coastal trips was the airlines playing the same damn movies for months at a time.

When I channel surf and see certain movies like Erin Brockovich, Throw Mamma From The Train, etc., I want to throw my shoe through the TV screen.

LOL Well if for you there was no issue of jag lag hmmmm It may be time to evaluaate you for meds
Ira

 

[Replicant]

LOL Well if for you there was no issue of jag lag hmmmm It may be time to evaluaate you for meds
Ira

They won't work either...I have the constitution of a Rhino (which has both pluses and minuses).

 

[OneTrickPony]

I had a monthly LGA to John Wayne routine for a few years and honestly never noticed any jet lag. The worst affect of my bi-coastal trips was the airlines playing the same damn movies for months at a time.

When I channel surf and see certain movies like Erin Brockovich, Throw Mamma From The Train, etc., I want to throw my shoe through the TV screen.

I've actually done weekly jaunts both directions for periods of 18 months or so...I thought that was bad until I started doing a lot of overseas travel from LA...ugh!

 

[magical2]

They won't work either...I have the constitution of a Rhino (which has both pluses and minuses).

LMAO Anyone familiar with HBO< Aaron Sorkin hit series Newsroom?
Ira

 

[Biff]

Holy Carp.

Seems to me that worrying about how jet lag from a trip on Tuesday might affect the team on Saturday's game is a little like worrying about Cindy Crawford's mole.

 

[magical2]

Holy Carp.

Seems to me that worrying about how jet lag from a trip on Tuesday might affect the team on Saturday's game is a little like worrying about Cindy Crawford's mole.

Cindy Crawford is a mole? For who Holy Carp sounds like Batman Comics
Ira

 

[Replicant]

Holy Carp.

Seems to me that worrying about how jet lag from a trip on Tuesday might affect the team on Saturday's game is a little like worrying about Cindy Crawford's mole.

What mole?

 

[Replicant]

I've actually done weekly jaunts both directions for periods of 18 months or so...I thought that was bad until I started doing a lot of overseas travel from LA...ugh!

I'll concede a little jet lag to Asia, but Europe not so much.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Cindy Crawford is a mole? For who Holy Carp sounds like Batman Comics
Ira

I thought that was Richard Gere's mole...?

 

[Replicant]

I thought that was Richard Gere's mole...?

Whose he?

 

[Icebear]

I can resist temptation. I can resist temptation. I can resist temptation.

 

[Replicant]

I can resist temptation. I can resist temptation. I can resist temptation.

Well that's no fun. Besides, it's a new year.

 

[OneTrickPony]

Don't worry...he had it removed...

 

[RadyLady]

No, you are pretty sharp but this whole thing could fall flat.

groan....please.....stop! Or at least put it on HOLD!

 

[Icebear]

groan....please.....stop! Or at least put it on HOLD!

Wait, that's the key, signatures must be required to conduct this sub thread on the off beat chance it we can't drum up any more puns to harp on.