Compensatory Sleep and Heart Disease Risk

SOURCE www.theguardian.com
People who 'catch up' on missed sleep at the weekend may have up to a 20% lower risk of heart disease compared to those who do not. Compensatory sleep is linked to a lower risk of heart disease, especially for individuals who regularly experience inadequate sleep on weekdays.

Key Points

  • People with most compensatory sleep at weekends have a 19% lower risk of heart disease
  • Compensatory sleep is more beneficial for individuals with inadequate weekday sleep
  • Lack of sleep can affect overall wellbeing and increase the risk of heart disease

Pros

  • Compensatory sleep at weekends linked to a lower risk of heart disease
  • Significant proportion of the population suffering from sleep deprivation can benefit from 'catch-up' sleep

Cons

  • Weekend compensatory sleep may not fully compensate for inadequate weekday sleep
  • The study is observational and does not prove causation