Sleeping in on Saturday is usually a no-no from sleep experts and moms — but a new study says the habit could reduce your risk of an early death.
Researchers from Stockholm University discovered that adults sleeping only five hours every night put themselves at a greater risk of death.
But – for those that slept for five hours during the week and compensated by sleeping-in on the weekends balanced out these risks.
Scientists first analyzed sleep data collected from over 43,000 people under the age of 65. Then, they cross-examined this data with death records taken 13 years after the initial data was collected to determine how sleep habits affect mortality.
They also considered other factors such as smoking and body mass index – as poor lifestyle choices can also account for increased mortality. The findings – long weekend sleep can compensate for sleep deprivation during the week.
So, am I going to live 10 years longer if I sleep in on the weekends?
Until now, sleep experts have always said “You can’t catch up on sleep!” … WRONG, WRONG, WRONG! The results of this new study suggest short sleep during the week is not a risk factor for mortality if it is combined with a medium or long weekend sleep.
In short, it may or may not help you live longer – but it certainly won’t shorten it.
Though, you’ll still want to consistently get six or seven hours of sleep a night for optimal performance during the week – and if you can’t, you’ve got the weekend baby!
So, the next time Sally from the office tells you – you’re not getting enough sleep – you tell her… “You’re wrong!” 😂