“Catching Up” On Sleep Doesn’t Work

Sleeping in on the weekend doesn’t help you catch up after late nights all week.

If you’re staying up late and getting up early during the week (sound like you?) and you love to sleep in on the weekend to catch up on sleep, a new study by Current Biology found that you might become less healthy than your sleep-deprived peers. Why? That’s counterintuitive.

Sleep deprivation may cause weight gain and chronic illnesses like diabetes because it alters your metabolism. Changing sleep cycles between the week and the weekend can further aggravate sleep deprivation. Because most people work or go to school during the week, this alternating sleep cycle can continue for years, even decades.

Want to be well rested and healthy? Set a regular bedtime EVERY night of the week, and don’t eat snacks after 9:00 pm. You’ll be more energized and you’ll be healthier!

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