Dr. Craig Canapari
Pediatric sleep physician, author, and dad
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Dr. Craig Canapari
Sleep 101

Fascinating Reading on Circadian Problems and "Social Jet Lag"

Craig Canapari MD

by Craig Canapari MD

Maria Popova, whose invaluable site Brain Pickings compiles fascinating and diverse material on books, the arts, and sciences, has written and excellent review of a book entitled Internal Time: Chronotypes, Social Jet Lag, and Why You're So Tired by Till Roenneberg.

The book explains the clash between circadian (body clock) biology and school/work schedules, resulting in a persistent state of sleep deprivation the author calls "social jet lag." She summarizes the findings of the book more elegantly than I can. You should go read this.  She describes the physiologic shift in teenager's schedules to a later sleep schedule and how that clashes with earlier school start times. This results in many sleepy teenagers and significant health and school problems.

Originally published May 2012. Last reviewed/updated by Dr. Craig Canapari, MD in May 2012

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