Jetlag: No Travel Required

12 JETLAG: 2 NO TRAVEL REQUIRED 3 Can't wait for the weekend so you can stay up late and sleep in the next morning? Be warned – those extra minutes of slumber may come at a price, including a risk of weight gain, alcoholism and depression. Learn about social jetlag, how it affects businesses and how wise employees and entrepreneurs can try to avoid it. WHAT IS SOCIAL JETLAG? Social jetlag is the effect of fighting your body's natural circadian rhythms by sleeping short nights during the week and sleeping in late on the weekends. £22 in 3 Estimated number of people affected by social jetlag (1) How it happens: (1) OS00 Once the weekend comes, you don't bother setting the alarm. You set an alarm on On weekend days, you get As a result, you get more sleep on your days off and your sleep schedule is probably closer to your body's natural rhythms. weekdays so you can get to work on time. out of bed whenever your body naturally wakes up. 1 a.m. to 9 a.m. When most of the population would naturally like to sleep. These are the people who are most likely to experience social jetlag during the week - when they have to get up early. 1) 1/3 of workers suffer from "extreme" jetlag - a sleep misalignment of more than 2 hours.e) BAD NIGHT'S SLEEP Many negative consequences can come from oversleeping on your days off. Work (2) Health (1, 2, 3 ) Reduced performance and productivity Greater risk of obesity Higher rate of smoking Reduced creativity and problem-solving capacity Higher caffeine and alcohol consumption Higher rate of depression 10-12 pounds 3X Typical annual weight gain of shift workers (1) Why the weight gain? (1, 4) Your risk of being overweight if your workday and weekend sleep schedules are different, with BMI rising in proportion to the difference (3) Being forced to eat when Late-night Storing fat more Less tolerance your body isn't ready to of stress and using snacking food as a coping mechanism efficiently AVOIDING SOCIAL JETLAG Here are some ways to prevent or avoid social jetlag: (1,2, 4, 5) Get elevated exposure to sunlight during waking hours. Work a schedule that aligns more naturally with your optimal sleep schedule. Go to bed earlier than you normally would on Friday or Saturday so you'll feel better on Monday. Have a dark and electronics-free bedroom. Avoid heavy sunlight in the hours before sleep. Don't drink heavily close to bedtime. SOURCES 1. http://www.webmd.com 2. http://www.entrepreneur.com 3. http://www.cnn.com 4. http://www.sleepcare.com 5. http://www.psychologytoday.com bizbrain.org