Social Jet Lag and Overeating
Irregular sleep schedules can lead to a higher BMI.
People who have different sleep patterns on the weekends than they do during the workweek may experience “social jet lag.”
A study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dietetics shows this shift in sleep schedule is linked to some concerning eating habits in adolescents. Among 1,556 adolescents ages 12–17, those experiencing severe social jet lag—from waking up earlier than their biological clocks wanted them to on weekdays and delaying wake time and bedtime on weekends—were more likely to consume higher amounts of sugar-sweetened drinks and fewer fruits and vegetables than those with no social jet lag. The sleep schedule mismatch was also linked to higher body mass index.
See also: Bad Sleep, Bad Diet
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.
