After a busy week, did you catch up on sleep over the weekend? According to a new study, it could be beneficial for your heart health.
In a study to be presented Sunday at the European Society of Cardiology congress, researchers found that the risk of heart disease dropped by about 20 percent in people who slept late on weekends to make up for sleep lost earlier in the week.
The study used data from 90,903 people, whose sleep habits were self-reported. In the study, sleep deprivation was defined as sleeping less than seven hours per night. A total of 19,816 participants were classified as sleep deprived and were followed up medically more than a decade later.
“Our results show that for the significant proportion of the population in modern society who suffer from sleep deprivation, those who get the most catch-up sleep on weekends have significantly lower rates of heart disease than those who get the least,” co-author Zechen Liu said in a press release.
The study found no difference between men and women, but results differed depending on the amount of sleep lost.
“The association becomes even more pronounced in individuals who regularly experience insufficient sleep on weekdays,” co-author Yanjun Song said in the statement.
This study has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, but has been selected to be presented at the cardiology conference in London.
Previous research has shown bad sleep is bad for our health — but there are ways to improve it sleep hygieneincluding adjusting sleep schedules and environments to be prepared for good rest.
Experts also suggest focusing on the quality of sleep rather than the quantity. Strategies for improve sleep quality include limiting alcohol and caffeine intake, reducing screen time before bed, and managing the amount of fluids you drink before bed.
