New research suggests that catching up on missed sleep over the weekend could lower the risk of heart disease by nearly 20%, offering hope to those struggling with sleep deprivation during the week.
The study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology conference, analysed data from 90,903 adults participating in the UK Biobank project, a comprehensive database containing medical and lifestyle records of 500,000 UK residents.
The study focused on 19,816 participants who met the criteria for being sleep-deprived, defined as those who reported getting less than seven hours of sleep per night.
- Chronic health complications triggered by poor sleep
- Quarter of parents say anxiety stops their child from getting to sleep
- Sleep Apnea
Over a follow-up period of 14 years, researchers discovered that individuals who managed to get the most additional sleep during weekends were 19% less likely to develop heart disease compared to those who got the least extra sleep.
Prof Yanjun Song from China’s National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease, who led the study, stated: “Sufficient compensatory sleep is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
The association becomes even more pronounced among individuals who regularly experience inadequate sleep on weekdays.”
The study further examined a subgroup of individuals with chronic sleep deprivation and found that those who caught up on the most sleep during weekends had a 20% lower risk of heart disease compared to those who did not compensate for lost sleep.
Zechen Liu, another co-author of the study, highlighted the significance of these findings, saying: “Our results show that for the significant proportion of the population in modern society that suffers from sleep deprivation, those who have the most ‘catch-up’ sleep at weekends have significantly lower rates of heart disease than those with the least.”
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Although catching up on sleep during weekends is no substitute for consistent, adequate sleep, the research underscores the potential benefits of compensatory sleep.
Prof James Leiper, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, who was not involved in the study, commented: “While a weekend lie-in is no replacement for a regular good night’s rest, this large study suggests that it might help reduce risk of heart disease.”
The study’s findings add to the growing body of evidence on the importance of sleep for overall health and wellbeing.
Researchers and health experts continue to emphasise the need for at least seven hours of sleep per night to maintain heart health and prevent long-term health issues.
