Can You Really “Catch Up on Sleep” By Sleeping in on the Weekends?

You work hard all week. Between your career, family responsibilities, and taking a little time to unwind, it can be difficult to get enough shuteye every night. You might have an especially difficult struggle if you are suffering from sleep apnea in Boca Raton. Still, you might dismiss weekday sleep deprivation as no big deal, reasoning that you will “catch up” on sleep when Saturday and Sunday roll around. But that approach doesn’t work. In this blog post, we’ll discuss why that is so and how you can really repay your sleep debt.

Sleeping in on the Weekends Doesn’t Work

A study set out to examine whether sleeping in the weekends could make up for sleep lost during the week. The participants were divided into three groups: Those who got enough sleep every night, those who were sleep deprived seven days a week, and those who lost sleep during the week but could sleep extra on the weekend.

The people who were sleep deprived seven nights a week suffered negative changes in their metabolism and, gained an average of three pounds, and experienced a 13% decrease in insulin sensitivity. The people who were sleep deprived during the week but got to sleep in the weekends experienced similar results. The few extra hours of rest they got on Saturday and Sunday did virtually nothing for their health.

Repaying Your Sleep Debt

The primary lesson to be learned from the above-mentioned study is that in order to truly benefit from sleep, you have to get enough of it — consistently. Here are some tips to help you repay your sleep debt:

• Aim for 7 – 9 hours of sleep each night. This is the amount of rest that most adults need to function at their best.
• Make gradual adjustments. It can take time to adjust your habits to increase the amount of sleep you get. You might try moving your bedtime up by 15 minutes each week until you are consistently getting enough sleep.
• Practice good sleep hygiene. Sleeping in a dark, quiet environment on a comfortable mattress is important. You should also avoid looking at your phone while you’re in bed and have a nightly routine that helps you shut your brain off.
• Talk to your doctor if necessary. If you make every effort to get enough sleep, but you still find that you are constantly tired, you might have sleep apnea or another disorder. A sleep doctor may be able to pinpoint the cause of the problem and help you find relief.

Your weekend plans should never be to “catch up on sleep.” Rather, your goal should be to get enough high-quality rest each and every night.

About the Author

Dr. Kenneth Mogell is an experienced dentist and a Diplomate of the American Board of Dental Sleep Medicine who serves patients in Boca Raton, Melbourne, and other cities in South Florida. He specializes in helping patients improve the quality of their sleep via oral appliance therapy. If you would like to talk to him about how you can achieve better rest each night, contact any of our conveniently located offices.