Synchronization and attractors in a model simulating social jetlag

TL;DR

This paper extends a model of social jetlag to study how biological clocks synchronize with varying light inputs, revealing complex behaviors like chaos and bistability depending on system parameters.

Contribution

It introduces an extended model to analyze synchronization and attractors in social jetlag, highlighting the effects of light input sequences on biological clock dynamics.

Findings

Synchronization depends on control parameters and light input periods.

Most solutions match the period of light inputs, but higher period and chaos are observed.

Bistability occurs under certain parameter conditions.

Abstract

Much work has been done to investigate social jetlag, a misalignment between the biological clock and the social agenda caused by exposition to different light inputs, that causes several health issues. To investigate synchronization and attractors due to a sequence of light inputs, we introduce an extension of a model, previously used to describe jetlag caused by a single change in the light input. The synchronization to the light input is sensitive to the control parameters of the system and to the light input periods. Depending on the parameter set, the observed synchronization is with one or another successive light input. Most of the solutions have the period of a light input. However, for some parameters, we also observed higher period, chaotic solutions, and bistability.