Social Jet Lag: What is it and How is it Impacting our Sleep and Health?

Ever feel like you’re dragging through the week, only to catch up on sleep during the weekend? It can feel like you’re always on the backfoot, trying to catch up on sleep and get your body clock back in line. I hear you!

Especially so if you’re a parent of teen like me, you’ll feel my pain of the constant battle to try and get them back into a natural sleeping routine. I feel like a broken record when my sons ignore the ‘go to bed’ cues then stay up late and walk around like a zombie after school!

Chances are it’s social jet lag, the common side effect from when our body’s natural body clock doesn’t align with our daily schedules. Not only does it lead to chronic tiredness and other health problems, it’s actually really bad for our boys and its neural development.

Recently I flew to Japan as a guest of Yakult to experience first hand how important the role good nutrition plays in Japanese life. One of the most impactful presentations for me was at the Yakult Honsha office by Naruma Nagai, Professor PHD Huan Science and Environment from the University of Hyogo. 

She introduced us to the concept of social jet lag, and its impact on both adults and children. The insights were eye-opening and highlighted how crucial it is to maintain a consistent sleep schedule and keep our body clock in line. My head started spinning and I probably could have picked my chin up off the table.

What is Social Jet Lag?

Social jet lag is the outcome of a mismatch between our body’s internal clock and our daily routines, because lets face it, our modern lives are relentless! Unlike the typical jet lag you get from travelling across time zones, social jet lag is caused by our lifestyle and work schedules. This misalignment can make you feel constantly tired and can impact your mood and overall health.

What are the Causes of Social Jet Lag?

Therre’s not just one specific cause of social jet lag, several of the key factors include:

• Late Night Lifestyle: Staying up late to watch TV, scrolling through social media, or hanging out with friends can shift your sleep schedule, making it hard to get up early for work or to deal with your kids’ activities. Thanks mum!
• Shift Work: If you’re working irregular hours, especially night shifts, these can throw off your body’s internal clock, leading to a mismatch between when you need to be awake and when your body wants to sleep.
• Working from Home: If you’re working from home with little exposure to natural light, it can be tough for your body to know when it’s time to be awake and when it’s time to wind down. It’s so important that we get outisde and expose our bodies to natural light, as the pineal gland plays such an integral role in our circadian rhythm. More on that below.
• Weekend Sleep-ins: Sleeping in on weekends can disrupt your sleep cycle, making it harder to fall asleep and wake up at your regular times during the week. This leads to the dreaded Monday blues.

Watch below and see in a nuthsell just what impact social jet lag can have to your body, especially our teenagers.

What is the impact of social jet lag on your health? 

Your pineal gland is a tiny endocrine gland in the middle of your brain that helps regulate your body’s circadian rhythm by secreting the hormone melatonin. Its main job is to help control the circadian cycle of sleep and wakefulness by secreting melatonin. It also releases the highest levels of melatonin when there’s darkness and decreases melatonin production when you’re exposed to light.

In other words, you have low levels of melatonin in your blood during the daylight hours and peak levels of melatonin during the nighttime. So you can imagine the impact that this has on your body if you’re not exposing your body to daylight, and in turn confusing your body and your body clock.

When your internal clock and daily schedule are out of sync, it can lead to a range of issues, including:

• Chronic Fatigue: Constant tiredness, even after a full night’s sleep, is a common symptom of social jet lag.
• Monday Blues: Many people feel worse on Mondays due to the shift in sleep patterns over the weekend. Sleeping in on weekends to catch up on lost sleep can make it harder to wake up early on Monday, leading to physical and mental strain.
• Seasonal Effects: Social jet lag can be worse in winter when there’s less daylight. The lack of natural light can make it harder to wake up in the morning and can contribute to feelings of winter blues or seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Studies on Social Jet Lag

Several studies have looked into the effects of social jet lag, revealing some concerning findings:

Study on Young Adults:

Research involving young men and women who kept a consistent sleep schedule during weekdays but slept in on weekends showed significant impacts. Sleeping in delayed the onset of the sleep hormone melatonin on Sunday night, making it harder to fall asleep. These individuals experienced more fatigue on Monday and Tuesday, which often lasted until Wednesday. This is because melatonin is typically released 14 hours after exposure to light, and sleeping in delays this release, disrupting the body clock.

Study on Children and Obesity:

A study involving 341 children aged 8-10 years (50% girls) found that one hour of weekend social jet lag increased body fat by 3% and BMI by 0.90 kg/m². Out of these children, 121 (35%) experienced at least one hour of social jet lag. Interestingly, 92% of the children achieved the minimum of 9 hours of sleep recommended by New Zealand government guidelines, yet the impact of social jet lag was still evident.

Study in the USA:

Data from 14-17 year olds in 70 public schools showed that 40% of the students were obese. The study investigated the association between sleep duration, nocturnal awakenings, and social jet lag. It found that as weekend social jet lag increased, so did BMI, highlighting a clear link between disrupted sleep patterns and obesity.

The Smartphone Experiment

127 Dorm students (between grades 1-3) were asked to record the amount of time they used smartphones from 6pm to bedtime. They were then tested in the morning when they first woke.

• Those who used screens took longer to get focussed in the morning.
• Those who read books were much quicker and more alert in the morning.

Managing Social Jet Lag

Here are a few tips to help manage social jet lag:

1. Stick to a Schedule: Try to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends. This consistency helps regulate your internal clock.
2. Get Plenty of Natural Light: Spend time outside during the day to help your body understand when it’s time to be awake.
3. Limit Late-Night Activities: Reduce screen time and other stimulating activities before bed to help you wind down and get a better night’s sleep.
4. Create a Relaxing Bedtime Routine: Develop a calming routine before bed, like reading a book or taking a warm bath, to signal to your body that it’s time to sleep.
5. Controlling light:  Morning sunlight is very important and will stimulate the internal clock and ready ourselves for daytime activity.
6. Reduce exposure to blue light frequencies: Blue light used on TV, PCs, phones delays our circadian clocks. Decreased release of melatonin will result in increased sleepiness the next morning

By understanding and addressing social jet lag, you can improve your energy levels, mood, and overall health. Remember, small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference in how you feel. Ensuring that your children maintain a consistent sleep schedule is also crucial, as it can significantly impact their health and well-being.

Belinda travelled to Japan as a guest of Yakult. Find out more about Yakult here and see some of the ways to use it in everyday cooking here.

You might also like:

• Teenagers and Sleep: The Why, What and When (Plus Handy Tips!)
• Sleepless Teens: Bedtime Issues; Hormone Wars
• 7 Sleep Solutions to Get You into the Land of Nod and Stay There