Catching up on sleep – is it possible?

Powering through the week, leading a stressful everyday life, and recovering on the weekend?

Why that's not a good idea.

Job, family, social life: Many appointments can come together. As a result, many people tend to sleep too little during the week, meaning less than the generally recommended seven to nine hours. Then they look forward to being able to sleep in properly again on the weekend. However, this calculation does not work out as desired, and in the long run, it does not balance out. Those who sleep too little over a longer period risk their health.

Metabolism suffers

Swedish researchers led by Torbjörn Åkerstedt [1] investigated how such sleep behavior affects the body – powering through the week and recovering on the weekend. In a very large sample, they found no evidence that those who compensate for short sleep on workdays over the weekend have an increased risk of death. However, short sleep on the weekend was associated with an increased risk of death. Regarding metabolism, there is evidence that it cannot be brought back into balance even by longer sleep on the weekend [2]. As a result, too little sleep on workdays could increase the risk of overweight or type II diabetes.

 
Catching up in moderation

One should therefore try to get enough sleep during the week as well. It is practically impossible to sleep ahead if we are not tired. The natural sleep duration cannot be extended arbitrarily. Sleep cannot be stored. The body only reacts to a preceding sleep deficit.

The good news: We can make up for lost sleep. “However, only to a certain extent,” explains Salzburg sleep researcher Manuel Schabus. “Sleeping less at times because there is a lot to do, then sleeping longer again, that works. But those who want to sleep healthily and well in the long term should respect their natural sleep times as often as possible.” A well-rested person is more productive and can better cope with stress during the week.

Immediate consequences

Anyone who sleeps about an hour too little every day during the week will feel it immediately, and weekend sleep cannot compensate for that: The metabolism gets out of balance – this can lead to more hunger after dinner. One consumes more calories but uses less energy and thus gains weight. After a few days of too little sleep, the brain is just as impaired as if you had pulled an all-nighter. After sleeping in until 11 a.m. on a Sunday, the body won't be happy to have to get up at 7 a.m. again on Monday morning.
 

Sleep² Tips:

• Try to get enough sleep even on workdays. If that doesn't work out, sleep can be "caught up" on the weekend.
• It is always advisable to pay attention to your body's own sleep sensations.