Sleep Deficit? You Can’t Pay it Back.

Planning on making up for the sleepless nights throughout the week on weekends? This is not a healthy option, especially due to the effects it has on your body.

Nowadays, many young adults sleep very late, believing they can make up for it during weekends, and end up not sleeping the recommended seven hours every night. These sleepless nights can cause an increase in weight, since it disrupts the hormone known as leptin which controls a person’s appetite and can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes. More sleep during the weekends can’t make up for the loss of sleep throughout the week, and this mentality is not effective as it can cause worse effects on the body.

A team of researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder conducted a study where a group of young adults with no health problems were the participants. They were separated into three groups: the first group was allowed up to nine hours of sleep for nine nights, the second group was allowed only five hours of sleep for nine nights, and the third group was allowed five hours of sleep for five days. Additionally, the third group was also given two nights for weekend sleep where they were allowed to sleep as much as they wanted, but would go back to restricted sleep for the last two days.

The data collected demonstrated that the second and third group, which had restricted sleeping schedules, snacked more after dinner, leading to weight gain and an approximately 13% decrease in their blood sugar sensitivity. Despite this, their caloric intake after dinner decreased in the weekends when they were allowed to sleep as much as they wanted.

During the weekend, the third group was able to replenish their bodies, but once they returned to their restricted sleeping schedules, all of the benefits disappeared. They felt tired once again. The results prove that sleeping on weekends to make up for the sleepless nights during the week doesn’t function—instead, it has worse consequences on the body. According to Christopher Depner, PhD, an assistant professor of research at the University of Colorado Boulder, “Our findings show that muscle- and liver-specific insulin sensitivity were worse in subjects who had weekend recovery sleep.”

It is very common for young adults to sleep really late due to academic reasons ranging from school to college. A lot of students, including AISG students, are not aware of this issue, or ignore the consequences negatively affecting their health. According to junior student, Arete S., “I was not aware of this issue, and have just realized about it since I have been doing doing this my whole life.”

Other students are more aware of the issue. Rachel M., another junior student at AISG, says: “I know about this, which is why I try sleep very early at 9:00pm everyday.” Although sleeping on the weekend is enjoyable, it is crucial to organize a sleeping schedule throughout the week as well, where a person’s health is not damaged.