Social Jetlag as an Independent Risk Factor for Cardiometabolic Diseases: The Role of Circadian Rhythm Irregularity

Abstract

Background. Social jetlag (SJL) – misalignment of biological and social time – is a common experience in modern societies. Although weekend catch-up sleep (WCS) is a popular strategy for adapting to chronic insufficient sleep, its efficacy in recovering from accumulated sleep debt is uncertain.

Aim. This review examines the health consequences of sleep variability and the physiological effectiveness of catching up on lost weekend sleep.

Results. SJL causes internal desynchrony and results in marked metabolic, cardiovascular, and psychological derangements. Key findings included increased body weight, insulin resistance and cardiovascular mortality. Research shows a “dual hormonal signature” of impaired melatonin and cortisol rhythms. Interestingly, although moderate WCS (1–2 hours) may result in modest metabolic benefits, excessive compensation (≥2 hours) aggravates the circadian misalignment and is a powerful predictor of depressive symptoms.

Conclusion. The idea of "repaying" lost sleep is a myth. Weekend payback can't make up for the harm of social jetlag. Attention should be paid to rhythm hygiene rather than total sleep duration in clinical practice, for long-lasting physiological homeostasis.