A new piece of research shows that people who sleep for longer at the weekend slash their risk of heart disease. In the research carried out by a group of sleep scientists and cardiologists, it has been discovered that people could reduce the cardiovascular problems by up to 20% by having compensatory sleep on days off.

A cross-sectional survey of more than ten thousand adults, aged 30 to 65, over seven years examined their sleep and lifestyles and cardiovascular dis Orders. Participants were divided into groups based on their sleep patterns: those who received adequate sleep in every day of the week, those who have been deprived of sleep and those who had short sleep during several days of the week and then had a long sleep on the next days of the week.

To the researchers’ amazement, the compensatory sleep participants amassed heart disease risks right on par with the adequate sleep participants. While these two groups only had a 20% less risk of having cardiovascular problems compared to the consistently deprived group of sleep.

While using self-administered sleep diary questionnaires and sleep monitoring gadgets to get detailed information from the participants of the study. Further, to ascertain the cardiovascular status at different intervals, general health check-ups in the form of blood profile and cardiac imaging were performed.

And one of them was that the most benefits of the catch up sleep were documented in subjects who extended their sleep by at least two hours during weekend nights relative to weekdays. This implies that there may be a compensation point by which sleep can play a major role in the improvement of heart health.

According to the researchers, several mechanisms are believed to exist through which catch up sleep might lower cardiologic risk. Longer sleeping time means improved recovery and a balance, in terms of stress hormones such as cortisol that is unhealthy for heart health once produced in excess. Further, it is highlighted that more extended sleep durations may be useful in decreasing inflammation and enhancing metabolism which are so vital in cardiovascular disease.

But the study authors note that while there is clear evidence that weekend ‘revenge’ sleep is beneficial, it should not be used as an excuse for averaging out poor quality sleep during the week. She stressed that is still possible to go back to the scenario of sleeping at night and getting up in the morning for work and other daily activities.

This work in particular has many implications to public health guidelines and employment practices. Such proposals indicate that possibilities of flexible working shifts that should consider the variation in circadian rhythms may be beneficial to the health of employees in the establishment. Further, there is a lack of knowledge about sleep and its teaching and studying as an essential factor affecting people’s health.

Some critics have raised observations on the fact that although there is correlation between catch-up sleep and decrease in the risk of heart diseases, it does not necessarily mean that the former causes the latter. They pointed out that these effects could be attributed to other facets which include, different habits and practices that are in place between the two groups.

In return, the researchers point to such shortcomings and suggest more investigations on the effects of sundry patterns of sleep on cardiovascular health in the future. Some of them also recommend further research on whether the advantages of making up for the lost sleep are applicable not only to the physical state but also to the cognitive abilities and well-being.

In light of today’s society and the growing trends and rates of poor sleep quality as well as the risks that come with it, this research provides some light at the end of the tunnel for individuals who are having a hard time in adhering to strict sleep schedules. Although this does not translate into a carte blancher for sleep deprivation throughout the week, it does leave heart patients some wiggle room when it comes to sleep patterns during the week in order to keep their heart disease at bay.