international travel is a biological insult to your body
In this solo monologue, Bryan Johnson explains how international travel and jet lag act as a biological insult to the body, especially the brain. He shares personal biomarker data from a recent trip to Asia, noting that it took nine days for blood glucose to restabilize, nine days to retrain his circadian rhythm, and eighteen days for full sleep‑architecture recovery. Johnson cites research linking frequent flying and jet lag to disruptions in memory‑related brain regions, higher rates of anxiety, depression, and alcohol use, and notes that flying suppresses melatonin for hours after landing. He also highlights the extreme low cabin humidity (as low as 5%). To mitigate these effects, he recommends limiting international trips to no more than one every three months, allowing one recovery day per time zone crossed, aligning sleep on long flights with the destination’s time zone, and staying well‑hydrated during flights. He balances the joy of travel with a realistic view of its physiological costs.
