In the three-month Mars Spirit rover mission, 250 NASA scientists are living on Mars time, which is said to be creating one of the worst cases of jet lag ever recorded. Scientists have to adjust their schedules differently every day due to the time it takes for Mars to rotate on its axis, which is 39 minutes and 35 seconds longer than the Earth’s rotation. This means by the time the three-month period is over, scientists will have moved through the Earth day two full times and be coming around again.

When approached by NASA scientists about being fatigued, top sleep experts decided to conduct a study on them. Scientists were given tiny activity monitors to wear to help sleep experts understand what the body does when waking up at different times each day for months.

Along with this study, a more controlled and stricter experiment was taking place with 35 of the Mars scientists. The scientists were given accelerometers on their wrists that marked every motion the scientists made and kept track of their sleeping habits. Voluntary logs were given to the participants to note when they tried to sleep.

Scientists were given the advice from sleep experts to limit light exposure when they got off work because the light can reset internal clocks in the body, which therefore can keep a person awake when they need to be asleep.

Research has linked the lack of sleep to health aliments, diminished memory and loss of concentration. Researchers are hoping to someday be able to train a body to put up with different circadian rhythm, which could guarantee a good night’s sleep for everyone.

Boston Globe January 13, 2004

Dr. Mercola's Comments:

This time shifting is a prescription for disaster. Humans were absolutely designed to synchronize their sleep/wake patterns with sunlight. We first developed the ability to bypass these normal rhythms with the development of the electric light bulb about 100 years ago. With the help of the light bulb, many of us are violating this important sleep cycle. Very few people appreciate the importance of getting to bed early, ideally before 9 p.m., and then sleeping long enough to ensure a good night’s sleep. If you are interested in this subject an excellent book is Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar and Survival, which has many detailed references that expand on this concept. If you’re having trouble sleeping, I encourage you to check out the 25+ sleep tips in my Guide to a Good Night’s Sleep. Related Articles: Want to Prevent Cancer? Make Sure You Sleep Well Less Than 8 Hours of Sleep May Not Hurt Health Get Enough Sleep to Avoid Diabetes Light During Sleep Affects 'Body Clock' Sleep in Complete Darkness to Decrease Cancer Risk Middle of the Night Wakening Throws Off Your Body Clock