Research Suggests Link Between “Social Jetlag” And Higher Risk For Heart Disease, Diabetes

Well” blog reported that while previous research has “shown that there is an association between shift work and an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes,” new research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism “has found a similar association in people whose sleeping schedules change on the weekend.” reported that investigators found that study participants “with the greatest variation in their sleep schedules also had worse cholesterol readings, higher blood sugar levels, a larger waist circumference, and a higher body-mass index than those who had less social jetlag.” Lead author Patricia M. Wong said, “Social jetlag refers to the mismatch between an individual’s biological circadian rhythm and their socially imposed sleep schedules. Other researchers have found that social jetlag [especially in shift workers] relates to obesity and some indicators of cardiovascular function.” Wong “added that this study is the first to show that even a small amount of social jet lag can have big effects on health, contributing to metabolic problems. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/11/20/sleeping-in-feels-so-good-but-may-be-unhealthy/?ref=health&_r=0