'Social jetlag' linked to higher suicide-related risks among Korean adolescents, study finds
A survey of 48,101 Korean students found that bigger gaps between weekday and weekend sleep schedules were tied to higher rates of suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts.
A high school senior takes a mock College Scholastic Ability Test at a school in Daegu, on June 4.YONHAP
Adolescents with greater "social jetlag" — disruptions to the body's internal clock caused by differences between weekday and weekend sleep schedules — were significantly more likely to report suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts, according to a new study.
The study analyzed data from the 2024 Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey involving 48,101 middle and high school students, including 24,732 male students and 23,369 female students. The survey assessed suicidal thoughts, suicide plans and suicide attempts during the previous 12 months.
The findings were published on Monday in the Korean Journal of Health Research, the academic journal of the Korean Public Health Association (KPHA), in a paper titled "The Impact of Social Jetlag on Suicide-Related Behaviors among Korean Adolescents: Analysis of Data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey" by Han Seung-jun of Kyung Hee University's Graduate School Department of Healthcare Management.
Social jetlag refers to the mismatch between the body's internal biological clock and social schedules, such as those imposed bywork and school. It commonly occurs when people wake up early on weekdays but sleep and wake later on weekends. The researchers measured social jetlag by comparing the midpoint of sleep on weekdays and weekends.
Among participants, 46.4 percent experienced less than one hour of social jetlag, 33.2 percent experienced at least one hour but less than two hours and 20.3 percent experienced at least two hours. Overall, 53.5 percent experienced at least one hour of social jetlag.
The survey classified suicide-related behaviors during the previous 12 months into three categories: suicidal thoughts, suicide plans and suicide attempts.
Students with at least two hours of social jetlag were the most likely to report suicidal thoughts, at 14.2 percent. The rate was 12.2 percent among those with at least one hour but less than two hours of social jetlag and 11.2 percent among those with less than one hour.
A distressed man buries his face in his hands.GETTY IMAGES
Suicide plans were reported by 5.5 percent of students with at least two hours of social jetlag, compared to 4.5 percent among those with at least one hour but less than two hours and 3.9 percent among those with less than one hour.
Suicide attempts were reported by 3.2 percent of students with at least two hours of social jetlag, compared to 2.5 percent among those with at least one hour but less than two hours and 2.0 percent among those with less than one hour.
"Adolescents with greater social jetlag showed significantly higher risks of suicidal thoughts, plans and attempts," the report said. "The findings support the possibility that social jetlag may amplify psychological stress and emotional vulnerability and function as an independent risk factor for adolescent suicide."
"The regularity of sleep rhythms and their alignment with social schedules should be considered key intervention targets for preventing suicide-related behaviors among adolescents," the report noted.
If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed or struggling with thoughts of suicide, LifeLine Korea can be contacted at 1588-9191 or the Crisis Counseling Center at 1577-0199. The Seoul Global Center offers English-language counseling. Contact 02-2075-4180 (+1) to arrange a session. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.
This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
