You should be concerned about your health in case you are going to bed and waking up late on weekends.
According to a new study conducted by researchers from the University of Arizona, sleeping for long hours on weekends can lead to an increased risk of heart disease.
The phenomenon is termed as “social jet lag,” which happens when you sleep late and wake up later on weekends. The social jet lag is associated with poorer health, worse mood, and fatigue, according to a study published in an online supplement of the journal Sleep.
Scientists found that every hour of deviation from your normal sleep routine could increase your risk of heart disease by 11 percent. The research, led by senior author Michael A. Grandner, analyzed survey responses from 984 adults between the ages of 22 and 60. The survey involved questions about sleep habits, diet, and environment.
According to the study, every hour of social jet lag was associated with a 22.1 and 28.3 percent increase in the likelihood of having just “good” or “fair/poor” health, respectively, compared with “excellent” health.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) recommends adults should sleep for seven or more hours a day. It also recommends that young adults, people who are trying to recover from a “sleep debt,” and people who are ill, may all benefit from sleeping for longer than nine hours every day.
A 2013 study also revealed people who tend to get less than six hours of sleep every night were more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and to be obese.
