Can You Catch Up on Sleep on Weekends?
The truth about "sleep bingeing" and its limitations.
The Science
While extra weekend sleep helps reduce acute sleep debt, it doesn't fully reverse:
- Metabolic disruptions
- Cumulative cognitive deficits
Best Strategy: Limit weekday sleep loss to ≤1 hour/night, then recover 1-2 hours on weekends.
Long-Term Effects
"Social jetlag" (different sleep schedules on weekdays/weekends) is linked to obesity and heart disease.