For this weekend, we expect a very very late morning. Because this week we worked too much. Because we wanted to blow up our alarm clock when we heard the alarm. And especially because it will allow us to stay healthy. In fact, new research from the Medical University of Chicago suggests that sleeping longer for two consecutive nights can negate the negative effects of lack of sleep during the week.
For this study, they restricted the sleep of 19 men for 4 nights, with an average of 4.5 hours of rest per night. To then continue with two nights where they were able to enjoy a long sleep of an average of 9.7 hours.
The researchers found after the first 4 short nights, the level of insulin (responsible for regulating blood sugar) had dropped by 23%. And the risk rate for diabetes has, on the contrary, increased by 16%. Nevertheless, after the two nights with a long sleep, the hazard rate returned to normal.
The study is pretty short, but according to neurologist W. Christopher Winter of the Charlottesville Neurological and Sleep Medicine Center, these effects affect us all. In two nights, it is then possible to catch up on the sleep of a hectic week where you slept little. And as a result, get back in shape. But that's only for the short term.
If the lack of sleep or the disorders become chronic, we put our health at risk. We increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. But we are also more likely to gain weight, because our body will store carbohydrates and sugar as fat. Our immunity is compromised, and little sleep affects the whole body, even our skin. "I can't imagine a single organ that isn't affected by sleep restriction" , says Winter.
Scientists don't know exactly how many hours it takes to make up lost sleep. But, the neurologist thinks that it is necessary to make up as many hours as those lost. For example, we lost 4 hours of sleep on Thursday, we will sleep 4 hours more on Saturday. The quality of sleep also plays a big role. Winter points out that naps don't provide the same quality of sleep as sleeping at night. For example, if you miss two hours of sleep because you got up to catch a plane, it is better not to catch up on the plane, but the next day by sleeping more.
Too much sleep (regularly) is also not the answer to good health. The head of the sleep disorders clinic at General Hospital of Massachusetts , points out that there is no evidence that "excessive" sleep has any positive health effects. To have a good sleep, it is advisable to go to bed and get up at the same time every day. But of course, it's not something we do and we know it. So yes, enjoying your bed on the weekend and sleeping longer is still a good idea.
