Consideration of Chronobiology and Jet-Lag for GB Athletes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

Chronobiology is the study of the cyclic or periodic phenomena in living organisms and how they adapt to the rhythms of the solar and those of the lunar. This periodic rhythm is termed the biological rhythm and, therefore, is the study of the science of life. The study of chronobiology encompasses other areas, such as those dealing with anatomy and physiology, behaviours and genetics. Every living organism must undergo biological processes in the form of cycles during its entire life. Some of the instances of variations include those that occur in animals and plants. In animals, these processes include mating, sleeping, migration and cellular regeneration. In plants some of the processes include photosynthesis and movements. The circadian rhythm is the most common physiological process in humans, which occurs in a cycle of 24 hours.

During the circadian rhythm, the routine processes mostly include the diurnal, nocturnal, and crepuscular. The diurnal describes the daytime activities; the nocturnal is the nighttime activities, whereas the crepuscular process describes those animals which become active during the dusk and morning hours, for example, the bats. These processes were first observed in the 18th century through the movement of plant leaves. It was not until 1960 that Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory put in place some groundwork in the field of chronobiology. The phase response was also introduced in the same year. This has been the major tool that has been in use in the field since then. From them, Pittendrigh was elected to spearhead more research into the circadian cycle, mainly in plants and animals .

However, there are more recent developments in the field of chronobiology. Some of the recent advances include light therapy and the administration of melatonin. These have been explored by the University of Surrey in the United Kingdom. Other researchers have also endeared and gone forward to conduct further studies and try to reset the circadian rhythm. There are, however, variations called phenotypes. There are several assessment tools which are used as biological markers. Some of these advancements were made in the 20th century by two Europeans, namely Jürgen Aschoff and Colin Pittendrigh. They pursued various views about the circadian rhythm through the light system. Some of such tests included the parametric, continuous, tonic, gradual, discrete, phasic, and instantaneous systems. The other method that has been identified is the biological clock. This clock is not entirely made for the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Several studies have, however, shown conflicting conclusions on the specific location of the clock. However, some research concluded that it is found in the dorsomedial hypothalamus. Chronobiology is a field that has some interdisciplinary coverage. Some of such disciplines include endocrinology, geriatrics, sports, medicine and photoperiodism.

Thesis Statement

The study aims to provide the necessary knowledge and understanding to the sports officials on the need for and ways of doing chronobiological studies of the athletes before, during, and after games. This study is also important to health care personnel and laboratory technicians so that they have a better understanding of the most effective ways of testing for the circadian rhythm. Furthermore, this study forms the basis of future research in the field of sports medicine and also answers most of the pertinent questions that are asked by most of the researchers. This study will analyze and study the experience of the GB athletes and how they prepare for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Scope of the Study

The study unravels the major features and practices that sportsmen use to determine their chronobiology. The study also focuses on analyzing research studies that have been done in the field of chronobiology and those from other disciplines. The study also focuses on exploring the similarities, comparisons, and contradictions and critically analysing the differences in the travel to various Olympic competitions. Furthermore, the study focuses on the physiology of chronobiology and the systematic review of literature on the GB athletes and how they will be affected by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Olympic Games

Overview of the Olympics and Commonwealth Games

The Olympics has been a very entertaining game and has undergone various advancements. The ancient and the modern Olympics share very many differences and similarities. The striking difference is, however, the fact that in the ancient Olympics, the participants were usually naked. The modern athletes wear running tights. The other difference is that the ancient Olympics only involved the freemen and those who only spoke Greek. This is because the Olympics were mainly religious for the men. In the modern world, men and women of ages, color, sizes or religious orientation of an individual. The other difference is that the ancient Olympics only involved one event, which the event called STADE, which was a 200-yard foot race. This is because most of the people did not know any other event that could be incorporated into the Olympics. The modern-day Olympics have incorporated many events. These include swimming, pole vaulting, and many more track and field events. The other more important difference to note is the fact that in the previous Olympics, only 311 male athletes from 13 nations participated in the event. This is contrary to the modern Olympics, in which about 10,000 athletes, both male and female, from different nationalities participate in the Olympics. The main reason for this resurgence in their numbers is because of the increased population density in the world and people have become more gender sensitive and are open to new ideas.

The Commonwealth Games are an international multi-sport, which involves athletes who are drawn from the Commonwealth nations. Such an event was first held in the year 1930 and takes place every four years except in situations where there is war. For example, in 1942 and 1946, it was canceled due to World War II. The most recent games were held in 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland. Such games have very specific and unique features that distinguish them from other games. They are managed by various associations and regulatory bodies some of them include international sports association (IFS), Commonwealth Games Association (CGAS). Each event is organized by the organizing committee, and some rituals and symbols are observed during these games. They include the opening and the closing ceremonies and the Queens Baton.

The Commonwealth Games have various editions. During the 20th century, the games were termed the British Empire Games, then called the British Empire and Commonwealth Games, then the British Commonwealth Games, and later the Commonwealth Games. In the 21st century, these games were held in 2002, 2010, and 2014 and will be held in Australia in 2018.

Similarities Between the Tokyo and Beijing Olympics

The study is, however, focused on understanding how the GB athletes are and will be affected by chronobiology and the aspects they will need to practice and consider before the 2020 Olympics. The circadian rhythm is affected by the time of the day and the travel across different time zones, a condition termed jet lag. The Beijing 2008 was the Commonwealth Games that were held in China. A total of 10,942 athletes participated in the event, with this being the third time it was hosted in Asia, with the first being in Tokyo in 1964 and in Seoul, South Korea in 1988. The GB athletes faced many challenges, including adapting to changing time zones.

The Chinese government had to make proper arrangements and renovations to welcome the participants and, among them, the GB athletes. It expanded its transport network to include the roads and the airports. It also had to increase the number of its security forces and close up some industries to reduce air and noise pollution. In preparation for the 2020 Olympics, the Japanese government is also changing its infrastructural and social amenities. Therefore, both the Beijing and the Tokyo Olympics have a lot of similarities. The first similarity is that in both events, the GB athletes will be in attendance and have been in the Olympics since the year 1896, both in the summer and winter games. The Beijing Olympics were held during the summer, and the Tokyo Olympics will be held during the summer. This hence means that the same environmental and geographical conditions the athletes had to face in the year 2008 in China are the same as those of Tokyo 2020.

The other similarity is that both are Commonwealth games, and both games are held during a leap year. Apart from these, the Beijing and Tokyo Olympics will involve a huge constellation of sports, both field and track events. Those who visited Beijing in 2008 will experience the same effect on their circadian rhythm. The overall effect is, however, that the athletes will be exposed to the same time zone and climatic environment as that of Beijing. Circadian rhythm is affected by several factors. They include the timing of exposure to sunlight, the length of exposure, intensity and wavelength of light, exercise, melatonin administration, temperature, social interaction and sexual stimulation. The GB athletes, therefore, will have to face some of these factors when they travel to Tokyo, and some of the factors surfaced during their visit to Beijing.

However, challenges surfaced during the Beijing Games. There were concerns that the Chinese government refused open media access. There was also a violation of human rights, air pollution and the possibility of being attacked by terrorists. The other concerns were that young athletes were used in the events. Some topics that were said to be problematic were also used and were associated with the Beijing Olympics. These topics included residential displacement for construction purposes, ecological impact, treatment of migrant workers, and the country's political stability. However, as the Games ended, all these speculations did not materialize.

Due to these concerns and the challenges that were faced during the Beijing 2008, some recommendations were put forward. Some of them include ensuring that the safety of the attendants and the athletes is considered. The host country should increase its security personnel in a bid to curb any insecurity situation that may come forth. The other recommendation s for the commonwealth sports committee to ensure that the athletes reside, practice and run in safe places and free from any pollution. This is to prevent any instances of alteration in the circadian rhythm. Moreover, the media coverage should not be regulated to deny freedom of access to information. The other recommendation is to ensure that the athletes' travel when in the country is minimized to avoid further effects on the circadian. The most important recommendation of all is how to control the effect on the circadian rhythm. Some of the measures include ensuring that the places for exercise are safe and not far away from the stadium where events take place. Also, the Tokyo Olympics should not be held during the summer as during this period, the days are longer than the nights. This will greatly have an impact on the circadian rhythm.\

Chronobiology

Based on these challenges and concerns which affect the circadian rhythm, it is important to understand the physiology of chronobiology. It is also important to understand how the GB athletes have had to manage themselves during the Olympics to make their circadian rhythms normal or severely affected. Mammals and mostly human beings have various unique responses to physiological processes. During the day (diurnal), the rhythms are affected due to the environmental timing and changes. The circadian rhythms are produced by the circadian clock, which is mainly located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei. However, other brain centres and peripheral tissues also contain circadian clocks. The environmental cues affect these clocks. Some of these environmental cues include light, darkness, feeding or fasting. Studies which have been done have tried to explain the specific effects and mechanisms of these clocks. Some of the recent reports have indicated that the connection of the clocks is bi-directional and goes further to indicate that the physiological cues feed the clock. The clock feedback mechanism is another important area that has been studied. The complexity lies with the feedback loops. The modification of the clock proteins is as important in analyzing the timing of the feedback mechanism and in studying the fine-tuning regulation.

Critical Reviews of Chronobiology in Athletes

Several studies have been conducted with the overwhelming responses of the athletes to the chronological cycle. However, the essence of this study is to analyze the current knowledge pertaining to the impact, the description and the major causes of circadian rhythmicity and, most importantly, how it has influenced the GB athletes. Both applied and experimental work has been the basis of this study. From most of the studies, it has been determined that the major effect of the circadian rhythm is the time factor. It is understood that the endogenous mechanisms have been implicated in affecting the rhythm based on the time of the day. However, the information is lacking in explaining how the endogenous and exogenous factors are important. More studies are, however, recommended to try to unravel the possible linkage of real-world research on rhythm disturbances. The GB athletes have faced all these challenges in their movement and participation in the Olympics over the years. They must travel to different countries, including Australia. This has greatly had a jet-lag effect on them; this is so because they have had to cross several time zones to reach their destinations. Their circadian rhythms have been also affected by the changing exercise and feeding levels and duration.

The endogenous mechanisms and the behavior of an individual can identify the type of the rhythm that the individual is facing. The presence of endogenous control is well highlighted by the presence of sleep deprivation, which is depicted by the disturbance in the circadian rhythm. Jet lags also support the presence of endogenous mechanisms in the causation of disturbance in the circadian rhythm. It is, however, difficult to explain the circadian rhythms and how they are affected by sports and exercise while simultaneously explaining the underlying mechanisms. Most of these studies, therefore, have focused on explaining the effect of circadian rhythm on real sports, leaving behind the causes of rhythmicity as pertaining to sports. The underlying mechanisms are usually affected by the intensity and the exercise in which one involves oneself, as they affect the physiological responses.

However, most studies have disputed the fact that circadian rhythm is affected by sports. They argue that there is no evidence to support the fact that endogenous mechanisms impact circadian mechanisms because real sports are affected by changes in the time of day. Also, when various exogenous factors are considered, there is no evidence that circadian disturbances such as jet lag have an effect on real sports.

Performance Affecting Factors

The circadian rhythms are the physical, mental, and, more so, the behavioral changes in the cycle of an individual. These changes respond entirely to light and to darkness. An internal timing device controls them. They are controlled by the natural factors in the body and more, so they are affected by light which causes an alteration in the molecular structures of these clocks. They, hence, are important in determining our sleep patterns by regulating the production of melatonin. When this process is disrupted, it can result in jet lag.

International Travel and Effects of Jet-Lag

Jet lag is the result of moving from one time zone to another. The rate of adapting to a new time zone varies between different individuals. Some studies have established an average of one hour per day. However, when the sleep patterns are altered to about a week, the rate of adapting will be higher. From the studies, it has been deduced that it is easier to adapt when travelling west than when travelling towards the east. This hence means that the GB athletes will be faced with a myriad of challenges trying to adapt as they will be travelling to the East in 2020. This, according to the researchers, is because the circadian rhythm, which informs us when to sleep and when to wake, is much longer than the normal 24 hours. The bright light is one which informs our bodies to wake up. The protein SK1 slows the body or brain's adaptation by counteracting the light's effect. Some of the strategies to avoid jet lag are starvation and the use of anti-jet lag is advised.

Inter-individual Differences

Studies were done to determine the differences in the chronotypes of the individual athletes. Some of these studies focused on comparing the chronotypes between inter-individual athletes and determining if the athletes mostly selected those sports which suited their chronotypes. These athletes were compared based on the five sports they participated in and their chronotypes, sleep patterns, and whether they got sleep satisfaction or not. From the study, it was deduced that the athletes chose the sports based on their chronotypes. This is important to the coaches and the athletes so that they can choose sports wisely and identify the most appropriate training time. This is so because some sports are usually done in the morning. This is also compounded by differences in the behaviours being depicted by the individuals. Some have social behaviour, others have diurnal activity behaviour, and others have sleeping habits, all of which affect the inter-individual differences in the circadian rhythm.

These inter-individual differences arise from the ability of some individuals to tolerate morning exercises while others appreciate late-night or evening activities. The difference is on the ability of some individuals to remain awake for longer hours while others prefer the light/dark cycle where they participate in morning activities. Therefore, these differences can classify athletes as morning-type, intermediate type or evening-type athletes. The other factor is the sex of the individual. According to studies, men can tolerate transmeridian travel more than females. The menstrual cycle in women can be adversely affected by travel.

Time of the Day Versus the Performance

The discussion above has laid a lot of emphasis on the effect of endogenous and exogenous mechanisms on the circadian rhythm and, hence, an effect on performance. However, no explicit study has identified the real effects on performance, especially altered performance at different times of the day. However, if any sports are carried out beyond the normal twenty-four periods, then its effect can be evident. There will be greater variation between the performance within and without the twenty-four periods, with the one within the period showing greater variability. This is an important consideration of the athletes and their coaches when deciding on the best time to practice and rest. The short-term and the long-term effects of the time alteration as an impact on the athlete’s success.

Feed Forward Psychology

This is the process of an individual adjusting to an environment. It usually occurs to individuals who have a jet jag after travelling. It works by comparing and refining the actual against the perceived goals. It is usually aggravated by the individual's purpose and environmental orientation. It is different from the feedback mechanism. This focuses on images of adapting to future behavior. It mainly aims at giving an individual the best option to do in the future.

Evaluation

Chronobiology is a field of study that encompasses the ability of athletes to adapt to the various environments in which they find themselves. From this study, however, various strategies, challenges, and recommendations have been identified to guide future research studies and to give athletes and their coaches knowledge of the best behavioral approaches. The study has critically reviewed different research articles and peer-reviewed journals in a bid to explain the all issue of chronobiology and how it has impacted on the activities of the athletes and to other travelers.  

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