Weekend Sleep Can Lower the Risk of Heart Disease

New research suggests that people who are sleep-deprived during the workweek can reduce their risk of sleep-related heart disease by hitting the snooze button over the weekend.

There's no question that sleep has a significant impact on health. Not getting enough quality sleep or sleeping less than the recommended seven to nine hours per night can wreak havoc on the brain and body.

For example, chronic sleep deprivation is associated with a higher risk of several health conditions, including high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Sleep is so critical for heart health that the American Heart Association added it to its Life's Essential 8 checklist for cardiovascular health in 2022.

For some people, weekday demands and work-related stress can negatively impact sleep and sleep quality. Many attempt to sleep longer on weekend days to pay back this "sleep debt."

However, until now, it's been unclear whether this method of mitigating chronic sleep loss reduces the heart-related risks associated with sleep deprivation.

Heart-related benefits of hitting the snooze button

Recently, researchers from China took a closer look at the effects of sleeping longer on days off and found that it might actually have benefits for heart health.

The study, which the scientists will present at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London on September 1, used data from 90,903 participants in the UK Biobank study.

The team used recorded sleep data to determine which participants were sleep deprived — sleeping less than seven hours per night — and the amount of "catch-up" sleep they achieved on days off or weekends.

After a 14-year follow-up, the team found that sleep-deprived participants who got the most compensatory sleep, defined as 1.28 to 16.06 additional hours per weekend, were nearly 20% less likely to develop heart disease than those who experienced the least amount of catch-up sleep.

Moreover, the heart benefits associated with paying back the workweek-related sleep debt were similar for both men and women.

Can sleeping in cause health issues?

Despite the study’s encouraging results, oversleeping, which is defined as sleeping more than nine hours a day, and changes in sleep schedule can also cause issues.

For example, oversleeping is linked to depression and may increase the risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. It can also cause grogginess and disrupt cognitive function.

So, while catching up on sleep may benefit heart health, it's important to remember that too much sleep can also impact health and wellbeing.

Alternatives to sleeping in on weekends include adopting strategies to improve sleep during the workweek, such as avoiding alcohol or caffeine before bedtime, setting a sleep schedule and sticking to it, or keeping electronic devices out of the sleep space.

In addition, sleep issues can be a symptom of certain health conditions, such as obstructive sleep apnea, and natural life transitions, such as menopause.

Therefore, people experiencing significant sleep challenges might want to consider making an appointment with their healthcare provider. Doctors and sleep specialists can diagnose and treat underlying issues that might be impacting sleep quality and offer effective solutions for insomnia and other sleep-related concerns.