30-Day Rest + Refresh Reset: Days 18-20

How to minimize social jetlag with some afternoon ZZZs

In the weekend teeter-totter between rest and fun, enough of us have chosen late nights with friends or the siren song of Netflix that our rebellion against responsible bedtime has given rise to the term “social jetlag.” 

Social jetlag happens when we alter our regular sleep schedules on the weekends—or days off—to accommodate our social lives.¹ We stay up later, sleep later, and essentially change time zones without actually traveling. The result is pretty similar to travel-induced jetlag—daytime fatigue, difficulty concentrating, and a wonky digestive system. For most of us, as we talked about earlier in the Reset, an off night or two is OK. We just want to be mindful of our long-term patterns because keeping a consistent sleep schedule can drastically improve our daily performance, cognitive function, mood, and heart health.