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Business Traveller

Tokyo and Sleeping While Traveling

Aired November 13, 2005 - 15:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

RICHARD QUEST, CNN ANCHOR: Sleeping on the job is rarely a good idea, but we all like to have a bit of a rest to get our strength back. Take for example these capsule hotels in Tokyo. Very popular.
So, from Tokyo, this is CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER, showing you this month how to get the best sleep when you're on the road.

Hello and welcome to CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER. I'm Richard Quest, this month reporting from Tokyo in Japan.

I'm here because one in four people suffer from some form of sleeping disorder and it was here, of course, that they made the film "Lost in Translation," where they had their own problems getting to sleep.

Now, I'm not normally one who suffers from insomnia, but on this trip I started in London, went to Los Angeles, now I'm in Tokyo, and all in the space of five days. It's fair to say I'm not at my best. We're going to look at the issue of sleep.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(voice-over): Coming up on the show, I cross the world to see how sleep suffers when we're on the road. Charging your batteries Japanese style, a tradition opening its doors to the West.

It's a familiar, classic scene. Sleepless in a strange and unfamiliar setting. It's my first night in Tokyo and like every other business traveler, fresh off the plane, I'm feeling stale. And the city sights go by unnoticed. Still, there is one way to cheer me up, a quick stop before hitting the sack.

Time to give it another go. Don't worry, not the karaoke, a bit of shut eye.

(on camera): My first night's sleep in Tokyo, I have to say, was a good night's sleep. I was exhausted from the flight. I didn't sleep well on the plane. Oh, and yes, I took half a sleeping tablet.

(voice-over): I'm keeping this sleep diary and I'm wearing this acti- watch. Both will track all my sleeping activity. So, five hours for my first night. Not a bad start then.

The trouble is, I've crossed 15 time zones, from London, across the Atlantic to LA, and now the Pacific to Tokyo, all in the space of six days.

Crossing as little as two time zones can result in a 20 percent decrease in productivity.

A day of grueling filming quickly exposes this truth. That night, everything goes rapidly down hill.

(on camera): Well, I tried my best and I seem to have failed. According to the watch, it is five to three in the morning and I'm wide awake and it looks like there is little chance I'm going to go back to sleep any time soon.

(voice-over): My third and last night in Tokyo it's the same sorry story. In total, I slept 27 hours over six days, which works out as an average of about four-and-a-half hours a night. What's crucial is how much rest one actually gets in a 24 hour period. Forget the idea of building up a reservoir of sleep. Sleep is not something you can store.

And the plane ride back isn't much better. By the time I get home to London, I've been on the go for 24 hours and I'm confused, tired, disoriented. Sleep experts say this level of fatigue puts me over the U.K. legal alcohol limit. Effectively, I'm drunk.

My first getting home is the Sleep Disorder Unit at the University of Sully (ph). Derk Jan-Dik and his team are to analyze the results from the acti-watch. This is what my graph should look like, a normal, healthy sleeping rhythm. Mine is clearly a mess.

DERK JAN-DIK, SLEEP EXPERT: We see that there is no regular pattern. The activity is al over the place. And the rest places, or the phases with little activity, are all of very short duration and they occur at very strange times of day. So we can clearly see that local time and biological time no longer match up.

QUEST: Next I'm wired up, hooked up and then to my great pleasure, tucked in.

The test, to see how long it takes me to --yippee -- fall asleep. It will determine the true damage to my sleep pattern that this trip has done.

Literally 120 seconds into this experiment it finally hits me.

JAN-DIK: A sleep latency of two minutes indicates that you are very, very sleepy. Under normal conditions, a normal evening, your sleep latency may be 12, 14, 15 minutes after five or six minutes, rather than going into stages three and four of known rapid eye movement sleep, which is the normal order of sleep stages, we saw rapid eye movement sleep after approximately 10 minuets. So that's an indication that his biological rhythms are somewhat abnormal after this heroic trip.

ROTH: No operating machinery for me then. Back to the dream. Now, who was Lola?

(on camera): Well, you know how it goes. When you can't sleep, you always end up in the hotel restaurants or a local bar.

Coming up after the break, sound advice to get you sound asleep. And a military man tells us how to stay away when you absolutely, positively must.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Welcome back to BUSINESS TRAVELLER in Japan.

The Hama Riku (ph) Gardens really are a wonderful place to get your breath back. Well, they should be. For more than 400 years they've been resorting your inner calm. But when you're traveling long distance, there really is no substitute for a good night's sleep, and that opens the age old debate: are you better off using herbal aids, like Melatonin, or should you just simply go for pharmaceutical sleeping tablets?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Some call them a cop out, others a necessary evil. When it comes to sleeping tablets, to many business travelers they are as essential as a toothbrush.

Dr. Michael Breus studies how business travel impacts our sleep and he believes there is a lot of myths surrounding the sleeping pills.

DR. MICHAEL BREUS, WEBMD: Well, the truth of the matter is there are some very safe sleeping tablets that are on the market. What I would recommend is that you use a fast-acting or one with a short half-life. A half-life of somewhere between two and three hours really seems to work best for, let's say, a six hour flight, never mixing it with alcohol, because one drink in the air is worth two to three drinks on the ground.

QUEST: While sleeping pills do knock you out, there's always the concern about the quality of the sleep you actually get.

BREUS: The benzodiazepines are ones that do affect sleep architecture. But the new class of non-benzodiazepine hypnotics, the Sonatas, Ambiens, Lunestas, those actually do not affect sleep architecture, and so you get pretty close to the same type of sleep as if it were a natural sleep.

QUEST: Diana Fairchild is a former flight attendant and now a travel author and believes this is all good and well, but deep sleep can be detrimental when you're flying.

DIANA FAIRCHILD, AUTHOR: This is not Disneyland. This is real flying, where there is the potential of danger at all times, so you want to be available if there is an announcement to get off the plane in a hurry.

QUEST: If you're worried and sleeping tablets leave you cold, you may want to try some herbal remedies. For instance, melatonin is very popular these days.

BREUS: What they're finding is that melatonin certainly seems to help people when flying in an eastwardly direction. It does not seem to have as big an affect on somebody flying in a westward direction.

QUEST: Just because they're herbal doesn't mean they aren't potent. In the United States, melatonin is not regulated by the FDA. That means you can buy it over the counter.

Sleeping tablets can be a sore subject, especially amongst business travelers. Still, the reality is they offer a viable solution, especially when your body clock is incapable of keeping the right time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Now I do like a nice cup of tea. And the Japanese have elevated serving tea to a fine art.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

(voice-over): Drinking tea is as much a ceremony as a form of refreshment, from the precise way to pour to the way the bowl is rotated and sipped.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Without milk and sugar, this may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it is said to have cleansing and medicinal properties, and better for you than caffeine. Just the thing if you're on a long trip.

Here are some more travel tips.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): Don't fight it. There are some basic simple rules to send you off to sleep.

BREUS: The easiest way to remember it is east is least and west is best.

FAIRCHILD: Take catnaps when you need to.

BREUS: Stay away from alcohol.

FAIRCHILD: Eat on local time.

QUEST: Dr. Michael Breus and Diana Fairchild both believe there is a formula for getting it right. It's all in the preparation, like getting a good night's sleep before you travel.

BREUS: People tend to actually have one of their worst night's sleep the night before they travel. So what's interesting about that is people seem to be getting a little bit stressed out long before they actually get on the plane.

QUEST: Once onboard the plane, Diana believes there is a perfect window for sleep, and you don't have to be in business or first class to enjoy it.

FAIRCHILD: On takeoff, there is phenomena called G-forces that forces you back in your seat as the plane lifts off. That causes you to be heavier than normal, so that makes it easier for people to fall asleep on takeoff.

QUEST: Once back on the ground, there are also certain steps we can take, like going for walks in the daytime. That gives you plenty of direct sunshine and helps reset the biological clock. Plan meetings to match the direction in which you've traveled. Going west to east keep most important appointments for the end of the trip; east to west, make them on the first or the second day.

Even with a decent night's sleep, there is the inevitable fatigue that comes with jetlag. It's the body readjusting, and it takes one day to adjust per time zone crossed.

I have an engagement which I absolutely must be in top form, and having just got back that same morning, I think it's time to bring in the cavalry, quite literally. Tim Crockett is a former member of the British Special Services.

TIM CROCKET, AKE LIMITED: Taking the old power nap is a phrase that we used in the military. Use rest as a weapon. If you've done everything else, you've done all your planning, you've nothing else to do, you sleep.

QUEST: Taking Tim's advice, I find a little room in my office. No more than 45 minutes at a time is the order I'm given.

When I met the royals, I think I fared pretty well. My catnap helped see me through. But let's not kid ourselves. A little adrenaline certainly helped in equal measure. After all, it's not every day I meet the Prince of Wales, or was I dreaming.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

Of course, we all have our own personal ways of dealing with jetlag and tiredness on the road. I frankly think it's just something you have to push through, but I want to hear your particular trick. How do you deal with crossing time zones?

Send me an email. The email address, Quest@CNN.com. We'll put the best tips on the Web site. And while you're at the Web site, visit our other articles, a host of information at CNN.com/businesstraveller.

In Tokyo it is far too easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the city, the bright lights, the big shops. That would be a mistake, because there are so many other things to do that are quiet and enjoyable.

Here's Benjamin Lee with a few ideas if you've TWO HOURS TO KILL.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BENJAMIN LEE, PHOTOGRAPHER: My name is Benjamin Lee. I'm a photographer. And I'd like to show you some of my favorite places in Tokyo.

The first place I'd like to show you is the Mori Art Museum, setup on the 53rd floor of the Mori Tower. There's a great show at the moment by the famous Japanese artist Hiroshi Sugomoto (ph) and from the observation deck you get a terrific view of Tokyo.

If you've only got two hours to kill in Tokyo, this is the place to eat. This is Gonpachi, one of the places I really like in Tokyo. The Japanese style, country style (UNINTELLIGIBLE) which I always bring people to when they're coming from out of town. Their main claim to fame is having President Bush here, being invited by Prime Minister Kazumi. Food is great, atmosphere is great and you'll love it here.

Usually at the end of the evening I drop by the Tableaux Lounge for a great Cuban cigar. They have a great selection, from Trinidad to Cohiba to Romeo and Juliet, all the ones that I smoked when I was in Cuba. And they have great cognac as well. Please enjoy yourself. I know I always do and my friends do too.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: Coming up on CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER, we immerse ourselves in Japanese culture and find a real way to relax and enjoy some good well- earned sleep.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

QUEST: Welcome back to BUSINESS TRAVELLER in Tokyo.

If you're coming to the city, be prepared for the unexpected. Even regular travelers get caught out. For instance, your mobile phone may not work here. Those from the United States and Europe won't work on the Japanese system. You may have to rent a local one at extra cost.

The smart traveler is always prepared, so here are some other tips for smart travelers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

(voice-over): The trend of the all business class plane has seen the arrival of two new carriers between London and New York. Eos was first in the air and offers a fold flat bed for less than most traditional carriers.

DAVID SPURLOCK, EOS AIRLINES: We're targeting executives who travel frequently across the Atlantic who are tired of paying very high prices and getting service and products that doesn't meet their needs. That's our core.

QUEST: Max Jet is also flying but offers a lie flat product instead, but it's cheaper. Both airlines fly from London Stanstard (ph) to Kennedy.

Boeing has set a new world record. The 777 Long Range flew nonstop from Hong Kong to London the wrong way around the world. It took us 23 hours to cover the 20,000 kilometers.

With a new CEO and designer at its helm, Samsonite is hoping it is in for a brighter future with its new range of luggage.

MARCELLO BOTTOLI, SAMSONITE CEO: The reality, if you think about the travel business and luggage in general, has always been a very masculine business. It's just enough to go in any store and look around at what you see. What you see is usually black, it's gray, and when it gets very exciting it's dark blue.

QUEST: We'll be looking at Eos, Max Jet and Boeing in greater detail in next month's show, where we examine future trends in business travel. What can you expect in 2006 and beyond?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

This is Tokyo's UNO (ph) Station. From here you can catch Japan's famous bullet train. But beware. If you're coming through, it does get very busy. More than 700,000 people a day go through those turnstiles.

In fact, you're probably going to need to escape after some time in Tokyo. Just fathoming out the train map is a bit of an ordeal. Still, when it comes to some downtime, there is help at hand.

MECHANICALLY RECORDED VOICE: All information will be displayed in English.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Beyond these bamboo gardens is a closely guarded secret. Of the 63,000 riokon (ph) or traditional inns in the country, Yaginosho (ph) is one of the handfuls to open its doors to other cultures. Today 5 percent of their guests are from outside Japan.

This couple from Colorado in the United States are visiting a riokon (ph) for the first time.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think just a wonderful Japanese experience is what we're hoping for.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Riokon's (ph) go far beyond simply a room for the night. Here it's all about tradition and custom. While small inside, everything has a place and a purpose. Guest rooms serve as a living room, dining room and bedroom all in one, but it's the bathing ritual that has long been the reason to visit an inn. Communal baths are the future. In this case it's a hot spring.

Japan, of course, is well known for its many therapeutic springs. It's the etiquette though that's crucial. For instance, it is always custom to rinse before entering the bath. Washing takes place at a basin. And standing while washing is a definite no-no.

When it comes to food, presentation is everything. There are 13 courses in total. The high level of service is part of tradition here. What's not tradition though is tipping While you save on the service, a typical night here doesn't come cheap. Over $1,000 per couple.

When you soak in the surroundings, it will probably be time to catch up on that much needed sleep, and in this setting a good night's rest is pretty much guaranteed.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

QUEST: And that's CNN BUSINESS TRAVELLER for this month. I'm Richard Quest, in Tokyo in Japan. Now you'll have to excuse me. It's that time of the night. Sleep has finally arrived.

Wherever your travels may take you, I hope it's profitable. And you get a good night's sleep. I'll see you next month.

END

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