Social jet lag: If a lack of sleep endangers health!

Social jet lag: If a lack of sleep endangers health!

München, Deutschland - The time change causes excitement and sleepless nights! In the world of chronobiology, people are divided into two camps: the "larks" and the "owls". Surprisingly, both groups sleep equally, but differ drastically in their activity times. While the "larks" get up early and keep their energy until evening, the "owls" only reach their peak in the afternoon. In Central Europe, most people are more “owls”, who often only torture themselves with an alarm clock in time. A terrifying survey shows that four out of five people feel sleepy on working days!

The time change not only brings light into the early morning, but also darkens the evenings faster. For the "owls", this means a constant change between two inner time zones, especially on weekends if they can depend on their own sleep rhythm. Munich chronobiologists shaped the term "social jet lag" for this phenomenon in 2006, which can bring health risks such as diabetes, metabolic diseases and depression. The grim reality is that "owls" are particularly at risk in unfavorable working time models!

teenager and the "social jetlag"

The effects of the time change are particularly devastating for teenagers. A statement by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) in 2023 states: The switch to summer time increasingly "social jet lag", with young people often suffering from a lack of chronic sleep. The AASM calls for the abolition of time difference, a topic that deals with politics in the United States and Europe - but without concrete progress!

Critics of the time change also question the benefits: originally, it aimed to save energy in the "bright season". But scientific analyzes hardly show any detectable savings. However, the real shock is still ahead: with the turn of the watches back, the "dark time" moored. The days are getting shorter, and although it stays a little brighter in the morning, it becomes noticeably darker in the evening. For many, this will be a difficult and cloudy time!