Social Jet lag: What is it and How it impacts Sleep and Health

In today’s fast-paced world of modern lifestyle, our inherent biological cycles are often neglected. “Social jet lag,” is one phenomenon used to characterize the discrepancy between our internal body clock and the social expectations of our surroundings. Social jet lag is a distinct type of disconnect that can have a serious impact on our sleep, health, and general well-being.

What is Social Jet Lag

Social jet lag occurs when someone’s internal circadian rhythm (the body’s normal sleep-wake cycle) and their social or professional schedules are out of sync. Our internal biological clock drives circadian rhythms, which in turn regulate our hormones, metabolism, and cognitive processes including our sleep and wake-up cycles. We tend to sleep better and perform better when we are in tune with these rhythms.

However, a lot of people experience their body clock being out of sync, especially those who work at late hours. Let us take an example, if someone wakes up around 8 a.m. due to sleeping late at night, but their employment demands them to be awake by 6 a.m. every day. This will eventually create a discrepancy between the amount of sleep he requires and the amount he desires. In order to fulfill their social or professional commitments, they sacrifice their sleep and on weekends they prefer to take long naps which leads to disturbance in their natural body clock. This behavior is strikingly comparable to the phenomenon of jet lag.

Effects of Social Jet Lag on Sleep-

Low-quality sleep, shorter sleep durations, and irregular sleep schedules might result from this ongoing misalignment. Any anomalies, such as changing wake-up time and bedtimes, will upset the circadian rhythm of your body, which is meant to follow a regular schedule. Therefore, inconsistent sleep patterns might result in fragmented sleep and a lack of restorative rest, even if someone “catches up” on sleep during the weekends. As a result, people may develop insomnia that causes them to feel exhausted and intellectually lethargic all the time.

Health Impacts of Social Jet Lag-

The physical and mental health of a person can be impacted not only by sleep but also by social jet lag in a variety of ways. One of the main concerns is its impact on our metabolism and weight regulation. Studies have revealed a higher likelihood of metabolic diseases in those who are socially jet-lagged, such as obesity and insulin resistance. A person’s chance of developing health conditions like type 2 diabetes will increase due to an inconsistent sleep routine that will be disrupted by the body’s normal food metabolization process. Furthermore, excessive social jet lag has been connected with our cardiovascular problems. Our poor sleep can increase heart rate, blood pressure, and stress hormones. Research has indicated that psychological conditions like anxiety and stress could be increased by social jet lag. People who are constantly tired and sleep-deprived are more prone to emotional instability, which makes them more stressed out.

Combating Social Jet Lag

The good news is that social jet lag can be easily avoided, and your sleep and general health can also be balanced again. One of the best practices to do so is by keeping a regular sleep schedule—even on the weekends. When you will wake up and go to bed at the same time then your body’s internal clock will become synchronized. Just try to limit your screen usage at night and expose yourself to natural light in the morning will help to balance the circadian rhythm.

For those who are night owls or shift workers, try adopting small, progressive modifications in their sleep habits which will help the body to adjust without causing any substantial disturbances. The quality of sleep and general health can be significantly improved by prioritizing your good sleep hygiene. This includes establishing a peaceful sleeping environment and relaxing before bed.

Conclusion

Millions of people all around the world suffer from social jet lag, which is more than just a contemporary annoyance. Improving your sleep quality and general health can only be achieved by realizing how our lifestyle modifications affect our ability to sleep and adjusting to better suit our natural cycles.