A new study from the University of Chicago Medical Center focused on how much sleep you really need to be fit. Scientists have found that sleeping longer than usual for two consecutive nights has a positive effect on our health. It might even remove the negative effects of weekly sleep deprivation.
In order to carry out the study, the scientists asked 19 men to sleep only four and a half hours for four consecutive nights. Then they were allowed to sleep as long as desired, which each did for an average of 9.7 hours per night.
After getting little sleep for four nights, participants' insulin sensitivity (aka their bodies' ability to regulate blood sugar levels) decreased by 23%. At the same time, their risk of diabetes increased by 16%. Only after a full night's sleep, all these factors returned to normal.
Neurologist W. Christopher Winter, who worked on the study, commented on the experience:“You can make up for a lack of sleep in the short term. So if you've had a big presentation or just stayed up late, you can catch up on your lack of sleep this weekend ". We are reassured, now we will no longer feel guilty about getting up every Sunday at noon!
