So, you know how we’ve always been told that sleeping in on the weekends is bad for us? Well, it turns out that might not be entirely true. A new study found that catching up on sleep on the weekends can actually be good for our health, as long as we don’t overdo it. The ideal amount of extra sleep is around 1 hour and 27 minutes, which can help lower our risk of high blood pressure.
High blood pressure is a pretty big deal, affecting over 1.3 billion people worldwide and increasing our risk of heart attack, stroke, and kidney disease. While regular exercise, a healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight are all still important for keeping our blood pressure in check, this study suggests that getting a little extra sleep on the weekends can be beneficial too. The researchers looked at data from 40,000 adults in South Korea over a period of seven years and found that those who got some extra sleep on the weekends were less likely to have high blood pressure.
The key is to find a balance and not sleep in too much. While getting an extra hour or two of sleep can be helpful, sleeping in for more than four hours can actually increase our risk of high blood pressure. So, it’s all about moderation. The study’s author, Dr. Nawon Lee, says that we shouldn’t feel guilty about sleeping in a bit on the weekends, especially if we’ve been deprived of sleep during the week. And Dr. Sonya Babu-Narayan, a consultant cardiologist, agrees, saying that we don’t need to feel bad about enjoying a lie-in on the weekends, as long as we’re still prioritizing our physical health and well-being.