Keeping up with both your work responsibilities during the and a busy social life at the weekend can be exhausting at the best of times. Balancing both areas of your life can be tiring, and this is why so many people around the world get tired so easily and suffer from social jetlag. This is a concept that many people suffer from, although they may not even be aware of it. Social jetlag is defined as the time difference between the midpoint of sleep on your workdays and on your days off work, which can cause us to feel tired.
Not only can social jetlag occur from balancing our work lives and our social lives, but it can also be brought on by irregular sleeping patterns, changing shift work schedules and even misalignment between your chronotype and sleep schedule. Your chronotypes refers to your body’s sleep and awake time preferences, and it can greatly affect your social jetlag. Of you feel that you are struggling with your sleeping pattern and feel that you suffer from social jetlag, keep reading on to find out how to get rid of your social jetlag easily.
Stick to a schedule
The first thing that you can do to reduce or even prevent social jetlag from having a great impact on your work and social life is by sticking to a schedule. It is commonly known that your body and mind both function better when you maintain and stick to a schedule. This schedule should involve you waking up at the same time and going to bed at the same time every day. For example, if you typically wake up a 7 o’clock in the morning during the week, then you should try to wake up at around 7 o’clock on the weekend or on your days off work too. Creating a sleeping schedule and sticking to it will help to regulate your body’s internal clock and will prevent you from suffering from social jetlag badly.
Take a nap
Another effective way of getting rid of or even reducing your social jetlag is to take a nap throughout the day. If you are feeling tired or lethargic during the day, or just need a boost of energy to get through your busy schedule, you should try having a nap. Research has shown that having as little as a 20-minute nap during the day can greatly improve your energy and prevent you from feeling tired. When your energy levels are high throughout the day, you are more likely to be more productive and focused. If you are planning on taking a nap during the day to improve your social jetlag, just make sure that you take the nap before 2 o’clock in the afternoon or at least 6 hours before your usual bedtime. By doing this you will ensure that you do not disturb your sleeping schedule.
Exercise regularly
It is widely known that exercising is great for both our physical and mental health, but it is also great for improving the quality of sleep that we get. Exercising regularly is extremely beneficial and it can even help in reducing your social jetlag. Research has shown that people who exercise at least 3 or 4 times during the week sleep better at night when compared to those who don’t exercise at all. Getting a better night’s sleep each night ultimately reduces the social jetlag that you feel during the day. Although moving your body is great for helping you to sleep better, you should try to exercise before 3pm, as exercising can cause your body’s temperature to rise greatly. In order to fall asleep easily your body needs to be at a cool temperature, therefore exercising before you go to bed will prevent you from drifting off to sleep easily.
Get some fresh air
Another great way to reduce your social jetlag is to ensure that you are getting enough fresh air throughout the day. A great way to beat social jetlag is by stepping out into the fresh air when you first wake up in the morning. Whether it is sunny or cloudy, getting outside in the morning can really help your body to wake up and will prevent you from feeling tired throughout the morning. If you don’t have the time to get out into the fresh air in the morning, be sure to get outside during the day in order to breathe in some fresh air. You could try going for a short walk or even just sitting out in the garden with a cup of coffee. Both of which are great ways to start your day.
Relax your body and mind
When it comes to reducing your social jetlag and the impact that it has on your day-to-day life, it is important that you relax both your body and mind. Finding time throughout your busy day to relax is just as important as getting regular exercise to improve your quality of sleep. Finding ways to relax throughout the day is great for reducing the stress and anxiety levels that you might feel after a busy day at work. Often when we feel stressed out or anxious it can cause us to have a poor night’s sleep, which ultimately causes social jetlag. There are a number of things that you can do throughout the day to relax your body and mind. For example, reading a book, going for a leisurely walk, taking a relaxing bath, or even doing some meditation or yoga. Doing any of these activities will help you to relax and will reduce your stress and anxiety levels, helping you to get a better nights sleep every night.
Follow a healthy diet
The last thing that you can do to reduce your social jetlag is to ensure that you are following a healthy diet. In order to stay active and maintain a high level of energy throughout the day, our bodies need the right vitamins and nutrients to do so. By following a healthy diet, you are ensuring that your body is getting all the right nutrients and vitamins that it needs to function and stay active. It is known that when we eat a lot of unhealthy or processed food it can cause us to feel tired and low in energy, this is due to the lack of vitamins and nutrients in these types of food. Eating unhealthy food can cause our bodies to feel tired and even weak, which can greatly impact our social jetlag. Therefore, if you are feeling tired or have low energy levels during the day, you should try picking a healthy snack over processed food. This will prevent you from feeling more tired and will stop your social jetlag getting worse.
As you can see there are a number of different things that you can do to get rid of your social jetlag and prevent it from having a huge affect on both your work and your social life. So, if you are looking to get rid of your social jetlag all that you need to do is simply follow a few of these great tips.