When a demanding week disrupts your regular sleep routine, catching up on sleep over the weekend often seems like a sensible remedy. However, new research suggests that this approach might offer more than just temporary relief—it could actually benefit your heart health. Set to be presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual congress on September 1, the study indicates that making up for lost sleep on weekends is linked to a significantly lower risk of developing heart disease.
This research, based on data from the UK Biobank study involving over 90,000 participants, reveals intriguing findings. Those who used weekends to compensate for lost sleep showed a 19% lower risk of heart disease compared to individuals who didn’t catch up as much. The benefit was notably greater for those who regularly faced inadequate sleep during the workweek. Over an average follow-up period of nearly 14 years, participants who averaged the most additional sleep on weekends were less likely to develop serious cardiovascular conditions, such as heart disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and stroke.
For people suffering from chronic sleep deprivation—defined as getting less than seven hours of sleep per night—this research found that catching up on sleep over the weekend reduced the risk of heart disease by 20%. This suggests that even intermittent sleep recovery can have a protective effect on cardiovascular health.
Despite these promising results, experts stress the importance of maintaining a consistent sleep schedule throughout the entire week. Irregular sleep patterns, often referred to as “social jet lag,” can have detrimental effects on heart health, undermining the benefits of weekend sleep recovery. For instance, excessive weekend sleep might not fully mitigate the adverse effects of insufficient sleep during the week.
The research, while compelling, remains in abstract form and has some limitations. It primarily reflects the UK population, and the study’s methodology does not yet account for all potential risk factors for heart disease or variations in individual sleep needs. Further research is needed to determine the optimal amount of daily sleep and whether there are thresholds beyond which additional weekend sleep offers no further benefit.
Dr. Nieca Goldberg, medical director of Atria New York City and a clinical associate professor of medicine at New York University’s Grossman School of Medicine, emphasizes the broader implications of the findings. She points out that chronic sleep deprivation is known to contribute to various cardiovascular issues, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and stroke. Therefore, while catching up on sleep can be beneficial, it is crucial to aim for a consistent sleep routine to maximize heart health.
Other experts, like Dr. Nour Makarem from Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, highlight that maintaining regular sleep patterns every day is likely the best strategy for long-term health. They also suggest discussing sleep issues with healthcare providers to address any underlying problems and ensure the most effective approach to improving sleep and overall cardiovascular health.
In summary, while making up for lost sleep on weekends appears to offer heart health benefits, the ideal approach is to maintain a consistent and adequate sleep schedule throughout the week. Further research will be needed to refine these findings and provide more specific guidelines for optimizing sleep for heart health.
