Jet Travel More Stressful Than Dentist

Frequent flyers say they rate the stress of air travel these days greater than that involved in going to the dentist. A survey by Microsoft Corp. of 600 business travelers last month revealed that a whopping 72 percent of respondents felt that business travel was more stressful than a dental appointment, and 66 percent rated flying as more stressful than speaking in front of a large group, according to the Washingon Post. More than 50 percent found the stress of doing their tax returns less than taking business flights, and about 40 percent reported that "jet stress" harmed their families.

"With 9/11, SARS, the economy and potential instabilities abroad, business travelers are more stressed today than they have ever been," said Dustin Grosse, Microsoft's director of marketing, who ordered the survey.

Symptoms of jet stress include difficulty sleeping, confusion about time and lapses of short-term memory, said Paul Sanders, a Dallas physician who specializes in treating travelers.

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