New research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress suggests that catching up on lost sleep over the weekend may decrease the risk of heart disease in adults who struggle to get enough quality sleep during the week. The study found that those who got the most extra sleep on weekends were 19% less likely to develop heart disease compared to those who slept the least. The analysis was based on data from over 90,000 participants in the UK Biobank project.
While previous research has shown that not getting enough sleep is linked to poor health, there has been little research on how weekend catch-up sleep affects the heart. However, experts caution that weekend sleep may not completely reverse the negative effects of accumulated sleep debt during the week. Additional studies have found a link between catch-up sleep and increased snacking and weight gain.
While the new research suggests that weekend catch-up sleep may have a protective effect on heart health, more research is needed to fully understand the relationship. Experts emphasize the importance of getting at least seven hours of quality sleep each night and caution against relying solely on weekend sleep to make up for lost hours during the week. The study highlights the need for further investigation into the impact of sleep patterns on overall health and heart disease risk.
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