A study conducted in Sydney involving 69 young individuals who sought mental health care found that nearly a quarter displayed symptoms of jet lag without having traversed time zones.
Researchers at Sydney University say this finding could result in new treatment for mental health conditions like depression and bipolar disorder.
“We found that 23 per cent of patients had at least two of these circadian rhythm measures out of sync with each other,” she said.
“This resembles the disruption observed when traveling across time zones or engaging in shift work, where the body clock falls out of sync with the external environment.”
“We also found a correlation between how out of sync patients’ body clocks were and the severity of their depressive symptoms,” Carpenter added.
The discovery could also change how we approach treating mental health, study co-author Dr Jacob Crouse said.
“Our findings suggest we might need to think differently about what kinds of treatments we’re giving people with mood disorders,” he said.
“And whether we should be targeting body clocks as another option for managing these conditions.”
“This robust early evidence provides thrilling new avenues for studying and potentially addressing common mental health disorders, with the hope of enhancing the lives of the thousands of young Australians struggling with depression and anxiety,” Carpenter stated.
The researchers noted that internal jet lag is not a cause of poor mental health, and that further research is needed to establish the link between it and the body clock.
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