Social media vs social jet lag; which is causing my teen’s anxiety?

Anyone with a teenager probably shares the same concern - they spend too much time on their phone. Social media use has long been linked to mental health issues in teens with those using the platforms for more than three hours a day twice as likely to suffer with anxiety or depression. But what if that's not the only reason; ever heard of social jet lag?

Me neither, but reading up on it, it makes perfect sense. Coined in 2006 by scientist Till Roenneberg, the term ‘social jet lag’ describes how changing your sleep pattern between weekdays and weekends feels just like travelling across time zones, with common symptoms including disturbed sleep, daytime fatigue, brain fog and difficulty concentrating.

Typical teenage behaviour dictates that my teen doesn't want to get up early on a weekday morning but it’s not that he’s being lazy – the science says his body’s internal clock is naturally shifting back a bit.

“During puberty, the body’s internal clock usually shifts back by a few hours, meaning teenagers naturally don’t start feeling sleepy until later and would ideally wake up later too,” explained Dr Sarah Chellappa from the University of Southampton.

Come the weekend, my teen has the chance to lay in, unless an early kick off dictates otherwise, but research says this mismatch between weekday and weekend sleep schedules can worsen social jet lag. And it means he’s always tired but can’t fall asleep.

Long-term, jet lag can cause type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and depression. And social jet lag is no different. Research from the University of Southampton, published in Sleep Medicine Reviews has established a small correlation between social jet lag and anxiety in teens. Their meta-analysis suggests teens experiencing greater levels of social jet lag are more likely to report higher levels of anxiety and vice versa.

Dr Hannah Ravenhall, lead author, said: “The findings highlight the importance of maintaining regular bedtimes and wake times throughout the week, even at weekends.”

Ravenhall said we should “look beyond what individuals can do alone and recognise how broader societal systems can influence sleep. This starts with acknowledging the biological sleep changes that occur in adolescence, advocating for their sleep needs, and reconsidering secondary school start times to support young people’s wellbeing.”

I’m sure my teen wouldn’t argue with a later start, especially on a Monday morning!

Disclaimer: my teenager is awesome. He probably spends too much on social media, but I trust him to use it responsibly and come to me with any concerns.