On weekdays you suffer from lack of sleep because of the multitude of things to do, and on weekends you get plenty of sleep? Chances are, it’s social jetlag. Scientists believe that it takes a significant toll on your health. Cardiovascular disease, eating disorders, anxiety, and chronic fatigue are just a few of the consequences of confused work and rest patterns. We found out how to recognize social jetlag and why regular sleep won’t help.

What Is Social Jetlag and How to Recognize It

The term “social jetlag” was coined by scientists from Germany in 2006. At that time, they conducted a study on the problems caused by the difference between people’s natural biological clocks and their actual daily routines. Scientists found that this difference provokes fatigue and disorientation, a condition similar to that experienced by tourists who find themselves in a new geographic zone.

People with irregular schedules are particularly susceptible to social jetlag:

• Nightlife enthusiasts.
• Freelancers who are not constrained by their schedule.
• employees of ambulance services and other emergency services.
• Parents on maternity leave.

In one way or another, everyone experiences social jetlag at some point in their lives. It’s expressed by the following symptoms.

Rapid Fatigue and Sleepiness

The most common sign of social jetlag, from which all the others flow. People suffer from drowsiness during the day and insomnia and poor quality of sleep at night. They have difficulty waking up and take a long time to sway through the day. They get tired quickly, spend more time on familiar activities, and have a hard time coping with routine. They wake up in the morning and immediately get tired. Hence bad moods and irritability.

Lack of Time

Because of the decrease in activity, it constantly seems like things don’t get done and it’s hard to cope. However, after analyzing what has made it through the day, not much comes out. People forget about their favorite hobbies, physical activity, and spend their weekends on the couch. Of course, placing a live bet Kenya on your favorite sports show for a few days is a good thing, but just sitting and hoping for your beloved team to win won’t bring as much happiness as trying this sport yourself. However, people with social jet lag don’t understand that because they are exhausted.

Distractedness

If you forget where you put your phone or keys, and sometimes you can’t even remember the names of colleagues and acquaintances, it can also be a sign of social jetlag.

Reduced Social Ties

There is no energy left for others, either. Walking with friends, traveling and hanging out together all seem too difficult. Communication more and more often takes place on the phone, and friends become estranged from each other.

Eating Disorders

Sleep deprivation and stress cause some people to develop an irrepressible appetite, while others, on the other hand, can’t get enough food.

Why Social Jetlag Is Bad for Your Health

Anxiety and Depression

Japanese scientists in 2020 studied the well-being of 1,404 working people between the ages of 18 and 78. They found that the more pronounced their social jetlag was, the more often they showed symptoms of depression and anxiety.

In a 2021 study, researchers analyzed the sleep habits of 85,000 U.K. residents and found that people with a skewed sleep cycle were more likely to report depression, anxiety and a generally pessimistic outlook on life.

This was primarily due to impaired natural body rhythms combined with impaired emotional stability that comes with sleep deprivation. Researchers emphasize that working the night shift can lead to disrupted connections with family and friends, which also affects mental health.

Cognitive Decline

Jetlag disrupts the biological clock on a chemical level. Production of hormones responsible for alertness and arousal are disrupted. This causes problems falling asleep and fatigue, which affects memory, concentration, and assimilation of new information.

Elevated Blood Pressure

Scientists say that people who experience social jetlag often have higher blood pressure levels than those who lead balanced lifestyles. A 2021 study of 625 people aged about 56 confirms this. Doctors found that disruption of the body’s natural circadian rhythms causes narrowing of the arteries and decreased production of nitric oxide. This is a common cause of hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Obesity

Irregular sleep patterns cause stress in the body’s metabolic system. People eat at different times, resulting in disrupted biological signals of hunger and satiety and the production of food enzymes and hormones. Leptin (the hormone that suppresses hunger) levels decrease and ghrelin (the hormone that awakens hunger) levels increase. Over time, this leads to weight gain and even obesity.

Suppression of Immune System Functions

Lack of sleep can lead to an overall decrease in the production of white blood cells needed to defend against infections and disease. This increases the risk of chronic inflammation, which can cause long-term damage to healthy cells and negatively affect overall immunity.

Increased Risk of Diabetes

Social jetlag can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes because of impaired production of hormones responsible for regulating glucose in the body. A 2023 Dutch study confirms this. The authors evaluated social jetlag as well as metabolic and glycemic indexes in 1,000 people with diabetes. Working people had frequent exacerbations of the disease. In retirees, however, the results were the opposite. Researchers emphasize that forced social jetlag increases the risk of developing diabetes, but voluntarily extending sleep on weekends restores the body.

Ways to Help Establish Normal Work and Rest Patterns

Sleeping in on your day off and taking a break from business is a good but temporary solution that doesn’t cancel out social jetlag. The only thing that will help you truly overcome it is a proper daily routine. Learn to fall asleep and wake up early. Even on weekends! Of course, it’s easier said than done (the owls will confirm). However, scientists assure that it is possible to change your habits.

In 2019, British researchers taught a balanced schedule to 22 midnighters. Participants were asked to do the following:

• Go to bed and get up two to three hours before their usual time.
• Maintain the same sleeping and waking times (with a 15-30 minute discrepancy) on weekdays and weekends.
• Get as much outdoor light as possible in the morning and limit exposure to light at night.
• Get exercise in the morning.
• Eat breakfast as early as possible after waking up, eat lunch and dinner at the same time each day, and avoid heavy meals after 7:00 p.m.
• Don’t drink coffee after 3 p.m.

After six weeks, the people who most closely followed the recommendations learned to go to bed and get up two hours earlier. They also reported less stress, increased productivity, and became more positive.