Sleeping in on the weekend may help reduce the risk of heart disease, a new study reported at the European Society of Cardiology Congress (ESC 2024). An analysis of data from more than 90,000 participants in the UK Biobank showed that those who practiced so-called "catch-up" sleep on the weekend had an approximately 20% lower risk of developing heart disease compared to those who did not sleep enough on both weekdays and weekends.
In the report, study co-author Yanjun Song, from Fuwai Hospital of the National Cardiovascular Center in Beijing, notes that the association was particularly pronounced among people who regularly experience sleep deprivation on weekdays, suggesting that compensating for sleep deprivation on weekends may partially counteract the negative effects of chronic sleep deprivation on the heart.
However, experts caution that the results should be interpreted with caution. As sleep researcher Dr. Rebecca Robbins notes, the inferred link is associative: if the control group consists of people who consistently miss sleep and do not compensate for it, then their health risk is indeed higher. However, this does not prove a clear cause-and-effect relationship - that is, the fact of "catching up" sleep does not guarantee complete protection against heart disease.
Why sleep is important for the heart. During sleep, the brain and body undergo key restorative processes: from hormonal regulation to the restoration of the vascular and immune systems. Chronic sleep deprivation is associated with increased blood pressure, inflammation, and metabolic disorders - factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. According to expert recommendations, the ideal duration of nightly rest for adults is 7–9 hours; for children and adolescents - 8–12 hours.
Practical advice: If you regularly lack sleep during the week, try to plan restorative sleep on the weekends, but don't make this your only way to "compensate" — it's better to strive for a regular and stable sleep schedule. Experts' advice includes: setting a consistent bedtime and wake-up time, avoiding excessive caffeine and alcohol consumption in the evening, creating comfortable sleeping conditions in the bedroom (darkness, silence, moderate temperature), and consulting a doctor or sleep specialist if necessary.
