Slept in on a Saturday? Good for you.
Nearly half of US adults aren’t getting the recommended amount of sleep each night, leading some to catch up on their rest over the weekend.
But if you feel guilty about waking up an hour or two later, don’t: New research indicates it can actually have some health benefits.
Snoozing past your alarm on your days off was long thought to be a major health no-no. For one thing, a consistent sleep and wake-up schedule is a key factor in good sleep hygiene, which can protect against things like insomnia and middle-of-the-night wake-ups.
One study from King’s College London also found a link between “social jet lag” — a disruption of the body’s internal clock caused by an irregular sleep schedule — and lower diet quality, which can impact the gut microbiome.
But new research presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s conference this weekend offered a counterpoint, finding a healthy upside for those who catch a few extra winks at the end of the work week.
Analyzing sleep data of 41,000 adults between 2016 and 2023, the scientists at Korea University said that those who slept in on the weekend were up to 9% less likely to have high blood pressure.
But that doesn’t mean you should stay in bed until the afternoon: The sweet spot, they found, was one hour and 27 minutes.
“Not getting enough sleep puts extra stress on the body. It keeps the heart and blood vessels working harder and can increase blood pressure,” study author Dr. Nawon Lee said.
“Getting some extra sleep on the weekend may give the body a chance to recover and reduce some of that stress.”
“People should not feel lazy or guilty for sleeping a little longer on the weekend. If they have not been able to get enough sleep during the week, some extra sleep on the weekend may simply be the body’s way of recovering from that sleep loss.”
Sleep is essential to heart health, with the American Heart Association adding it to their Life’s Essential 8 checklist for good cardiovascular health.
In addition to smoking, age, diet, exercise and more, sleep deprivation is also a risk factor for hypertension, or high blood pressure, which nearly half of Americans have.
Researchers believe that when we sleep, our blood pressure drops by about 10%, a process called “nocturnal dipping.”
But too much sleep can backfire. The study also revealed that too much additional weekend sleep could be harmful, with more than four extra hours increasing the risk of hypertension.
While those who are making up for sleep deprivation during the week may see benefits, excessive rest may increase “the degree of sleep irregularity and circadian disruption, which could offset that benefit,” according to Lee.
Previous research had found that regular bedtimes and wake-ups reduced the risk of a stroke, with irregular sleepers 26% more likely to suffer a stroke, heart failure or heart attack.
Those who are sleeping a little longer on their day off shouldn’t feel guilty, though, as they may still reap the benefits, according to researchers.
“If they have not been able to get enough sleep during the week, some extra sleep on the weekend may simply be the body’s way of recovering from that sleep loss,” Lee said.
