Modern lifestyles often leave people sleep-deprived during the working week, leading many to try to "catch up" with extra sleep on weekends. New research has revealed that weekend sleep-ins may lower the risk of heart disease. According to researchers, sleeping in on weekends may reduce the risk of cardiac problems by a significant margin for those who frequently sleep late. This is especially true for persons whose work or school schedules interfere with their sleep patterns during the workweek.
"Sufficient compensatory sleep is linked to a lower risk of heart disease," said study co-author Mr Yanjun Song of the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Disease, Fuwai Hospital, National Centre for Cardiovascular Disease, Beijing, China.
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"The association becomes even more pronounced among individuals who regularly experience inadequate sleep on weekdays."
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A study presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting found that people who catch up on missed sleep during weekends have up to a 20% lower risk of heart disease. The research, using data from 90,903 UK Biobank participants, identified 19,816 sleep-deprived individuals. Over 14 years, those who slept more on weekends were 19% less likely to develop heart disease compared to those with minimal weekend sleep.
It is well known that people who suffer sleep deprivation 'sleep in' on days off to mitigate the effects of sleep deprivation. However, there is a lack of research on whether this compensatory sleep helps heart health.
