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People who enjoy sleeping in on the weekends may have a point, as a new study has found that those who “catch up” on lost sleep on the weekends can potentially reduce their risk of heart disease by up to 20%.
Researchers examined data from more than 90,000 people in the UK, which suggested that making up for a lack of sleep during the week with some extra time in bed at weekends could help mitigate the negative effects of sleep deprivation.
The study, from the National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases at Fuwai Hospital in Beijing, found that sleep-deprived people who slept more on weekends saw their risk of heart disease reduced by a fifth, compared with those who slept no more or even less on weekends.
However, we're often told that maintaining a regular bedtime and wake-up routine is critical to achieving optimal sleep. So is catching up on lost sleep over the weekend good for us after all?
What are the positive and negative aspects of staying in bed late?
Getting a few extra hours of sleep on the weekend after a tiring week could help improve your mood.“While staying in bed is no substitute for good sleep hygiene, an extra hour won’t hurt and can improve your mood,” says Theresa Schnorbach, a psychologist and sleep scientist who works with Emma – The Sleep Company.
Sleep is also vital to repair our mind and body.
“Sleep helps refresh the body and recover from the day’s physical activity,” Schnorbach explains. “Sleep also influences brain function.
“The early stages of sleep are restorative; it is the stage of sleep that helps improve memory, learning, reaction time and logistical reasoning,” he adds. “Sleep deprivation has been found to reduce receptor sensitivity and communication between brain regions, which ultimately changes the composition of the brain.”
People with chronic health conditions may also benefit from getting more sleep when they can, especially during periods of increased fatigue or stress. The same can be true for new parents, for example, who make the most of any opportunity to catch up on lost sleep at other times of the week.
“Different chronic health conditions can affect your sleep in different ways,” Schnorbach explains. “If you have trouble falling asleep in the morning, are routinely tired during the day, or have other sleep-related concerns, I recommend talking to your doctor.”
Sleeping too much can also have a negative impact
However, generally speaking, sleeping too much on a regular basis can also have negative consequences for our long-term health and well-being, says Schnorbach.
“While sleeping in can be beneficial, it is important to pay attention to the exact number of hours you sleep,” she advises. “If you sleep more than nine hours a night, this could be detrimental, as sleeping too much is associated with many health problems and can affect concentration and mood.”Irregular sleep patterns can disrupt the body's natural sleep-wake cycle.
“If you sleep in, it disrupts your natural sleep cycle and you’re likely to have trouble falling asleep if you go to bed at the same time as usual that night,” explains Dr. Deborah Lee, a sleep expert with Get Laid Beds. “Sleeping in can disrupt your body’s internal clock, leading to difficulty falling asleep at night.
“Erratic sleep patterns can also wreak havoc on overall health, contributing to anxiety and other health problems.”
Why is consistency important for sleeping?
Making up for lost sleep over the weekend can help you feel rejuvenated in the short term, and as the new heart disease study suggests, it could benefit your health in the long term when you don't get enough sleep during the week. But ideally, if possible, many sleep experts believe that maintaining a regular sleep routine is helpful overall.
“One of the best things you can do for your sleep is to keep a regular schedule, even on weekends,” Schnorbach recommends. “If you stick to a routine, your body will learn when it’s time to sleep and prepare accordingly by producing hormones that help you sleep.”
Lee adds: “Ideally, we should all aim for a good night’s sleep and get seven hours of sleep a night. It is far better to work on our daily sleep regime than to ignore the need for sleep during the week and only deal with it on the weekends.”
