© Shutterstock

Conflicting advice -

Some people advocate catching up on sleep whenever you have a moment, while others say the only way to reap the benefits is nightly consistency.

© Shutterstock

Conflicting advice -

For many people, falling asleep and waking up at the same time each day isn't always an option. However, a new study suggests that catching up on missed sleep over the weekend might not be a bad idea.

© Shutterstock

European Society of Cardiology study -

Research presented in 2024 by the European Society of Cardiology suggests good news for those who make a lie-in a non-negotiable part of their weekend.

© Shutterstock

Cardiovascular health -

It turns out people who "catch up" on sleep over the weekend have a 19% reduced risk of heart disease than those who get less "catch up" sleep.

© Shutterstock

Sleep-deprived subjects -

The study used data from 90,000 participants in the UK. More than 20,000 of these reported being sleep deprived, i.e. getting less than seven hours sleep per night.

© Shutterstock

Normal subjects -

The remainder of those who took part didn't meet the criteria for sleep deprivation, however, they did report occasionally having a night of bad sleep.

© Shutterstock

Fourteen years -

For fourteen years, the participants' sleep habits were analyzed, allowing researchers to examine the observable benefit to those who slept in on weekends.

© Shutterstock

Compensatory sleep -

Those who got the most catch-up sleep on weekends—aka "compensatory" sleep—were found to be less likely to develop heart disease than those with the least compensatory sleep.

© Shutterstock

Permission to rest? -

But what does this actually mean? Should we all spend the day in bed every once in a while if we're feeling a bit sleep-deprived?

© Shutterstock

Duration of research -

This study followed participants for a long duration, using a large sample of people, which helps to give it more legitimacy.

© Shutterstock

Observational -

However, the results were observational. In other words, there appeared to be a link between sleep duration and heart disease.

© Shutterstock

Observational -

A connection between sleep deprivation and heart disease alone doesn't prove that sleep factors play a definitive role in causing/preventing heart disease.

© Shutterstock

Other factors -

It's not clear how much other factors were taken into account in the study, for instance having a family history of heart disease or the role of diet and lifestyle.

© Shutterstock

Presentation -

Another thing to bear in mind is that the results were presented rather than published and therefore didn't go through a peer-review process.

© Shutterstock

Peer review -

Peer review is important as it acts as a kind of quality control. A peer review evaluates the quality of a paper and whether or not it is suitable for publication.

© Shutterstock

Previous findings -

The study also seems to be a bit of an outlier. There aren't many previous findings to back up that compensating sleep on the weekend is good for health.

© Shutterstock

Previous findings -

What's more, the research that has been completed in the past doesn't suggest that sleeping more at the weekend has any positive effect.

© Shutterstock

Too little sleep -

Getting too little sleep, over time, raises your risk for many health conditions. Increased blood pressure, inflammation, and blood sugar can be caused by consistent sleep deprivation.

© Shutterstock

Heart attack risk -

An increased risk of heart attack is associated with getting less than six hours of sleep on a consistent basis, according to a 2019 study in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

© Shutterstock

Not necessarily a bad thing -

Dr. Holliday-Bell, a board-certified physician and sleep specialist explained to Well + Good that weekend sleeping in isn't necessarily a bad thing.

© Shutterstock

Not necessarily a bad thing -

"I think getting a sufficient amount of sleep [on any given night] will always beat out losing sleep and will have a beneficial effect, even if it means throwing off consistency," she says.

© Shutterstock

The gold standard -

However, the gold standard of adequate sleep for adults is to get at least seven hours each night. Consistent sleep and wake times make it more likely you'll reach this target.

© Shutterstock

The gold standard -

For instance, going to sleep at 10 pm each night and waking up at 6 am each morning will mean you get a solid eight hours of sleep.

© Shutterstock

Sleeping in? Set a time limit -

If you are going to sleep in on the weekends, don't make it by much. Getting an extra hour of sleep probably won't make a huge difference.

© Shutterstock

Sleeping in? Set a time limit -

However, sleeping in for a lot longer could disrupt your circadian rhythm, which is also linked to a variety of health conditions.

© Shutterstock

Times when you need more sleep -

That being said, there are times when your body needs more sleep. If you're fighting a cold or flu, your body could do with the extra rest.

© Shutterstock

Times when you need more sleep -

Likewise, if you're an extremely sleep-deprived new parent, catching up on some sleep when you can is going to be beneficial for your health.

© Shutterstock

Sleep needs -

Everyone's sleep needs are different. Depending on your age, health, and work schedule, you might require more or less sleep to function at your best.

© Shutterstock

Sleep needs -

If you're consistently not getting enough sleep and don't know why, talk to your healthcare provider about it. They can offer advice and check for an underlying sleep disorder.

Sources: (Well + Good)

See also: What your sleep position says about your personality

© Shutterstock