Study finds moderate weekend catch-up sleep may lower hypertension risk

A little extra sleep at the weekend may help lower the risk of high blood pressure, according to research presented at the European Society of Cardiology’s annual meeting in Munich.

The study, conducted by researchers at Korea University, followed 40,000 South Korean adults for seven years. It found that people who slept longer at weekends than on weekdays had a 6% lower likelihood of developing hypertension.

The benefit appeared slightly stronger among people with lower activity levels. For that group, weekend catch-up sleep was associated with a 6.9% lower likelihood of hypertension.

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Sleep deprivation puts extra stress on the body, forcing the heart and blood vessels to keep working harder and raising blood pressure.

Researcher Dr Nawon Lee identified one hour and 27 minutes as the ideal amount of additional weekend sleep. That level was associated with a reduction of up to 9% in the likelihood of high blood pressure. Sleeping much longer could have the opposite effect. People who slept more than four additional hours at weekends faced a higher likelihood of hypertension.

Lee said regular sleep and waking times remained important, but moderate catch-up sleep could help people who do not get enough rest during the week. “People should not feel lazy or guilty about sleeping a little longer at the weekend,” she said. “If they cannot get enough sleep during the week, catching up at the weekend may be one way the body compensates for the harm caused by sleep deprivation.”

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People should not feel lazy or guilty about sleeping a little longer at the weekend.