Weekdays often leave us short on sleep, making weekend lie-ins a tempting recovery tactic. But does it truly help?
A recent study delivers a clear verdict: No, it doesn't fully compensate.
Read also: 'You eat that many calories more when you're sleep deprived'
Researchers enlisted 30 participants and simulated a common sleep pattern: restricted sleep during the week, followed by extra weekend rest. They closely tracked health markers and cognitive performance throughout.
Just a few days of curtailed sleep brought noticeable changes. Participants felt sleepier, showed reduced concentration, and had elevated levels of interleukin-6—a key indicator of bodily inflammation.
On weekends, subjects got to sleep in. This eased sleepiness, lowered interleukin-6, and reduced cortisol, the stress hormone. However, cognitive performance and focus remained impaired.
While lie-ins mitigate some sleep deprivation effects, two nights aren't enough to fully offset even mild shortfalls. The study examined just one cycle; repeated patterns over weeks could amplify harm.
Source: Scientia
