Having staggered sleep schedules between the week and the weekend would have negative effects on health.
- One in three people suffers from sleep disorders in France.
- Staggered sleep schedules would also reduce the quality of nights.
Take advantage of the weekend to sleep longer in the morning: a priori, it is rather a good idea. But researchers at the University of Arizona advise you to avoid it. According to them, thisjet lag social“, the difference in time between sleep patterns on days off and on days at work, has health consequences. Published in the specialized journal sleepingtheir study shows an increase in cardiac risk, associated with “jet lag social“.
A survey-based study
This work is based on the responses of 984 adults, aged 22 to 60, to a questionnaire on their sleep habits and their health. The scientists first assessed the time difference between weekdays and weekends, then they put these results into perspective with the responses of the participants concerning their state of health: the frequency of insomnia, the appearance of cardiovascular diseases, their level fatigue and drowsiness.
Multiple health effects
Data analysis showed that each hour of shift between weekday and weekend hours was associated with an 11% increase in the likelihood of heart disease. This time difference was also associated with poor health, more low mood, sleepiness and increased fatigue. “It is particularly surprising that these effects are independent of sleep duration and insomnia symptoms, says study lead author Sierra B. Forbush, a research assistant in the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona School of Medicine.. These results indicate that the regularity of sleep, beyond just the length of the nights, plays an important role in our health..”
A disruption of sleep cycles harmful to the metabolism
In 2015, a study on the subject had already pointed out the risks associated with sleeping in. Its authors then explained that irregular sleep patterns increased the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. According to their findings, people with the largest discrepancies between their weekday and weekend sleep schedules had the worst cholesterol levels, higher insulin resistance rates, and were at greater risk of being overweight.
How to have good sleep habits?
To be in good health, you should therefore have regular wake-up and sleep times, whatever the day of the week, and get enough sleep. The ideal hours of sleep vary according to the individual, but the norm is between 7 and 9 hours per night for an adult: this amount of sleep limits the health risks. The National Institute of Sleep and Vigilance gives some tricks to succeed in reaching this threshold: exercise, eat light in the evening, do quiet activities at the end of the day, adapt the temperature of the room (between 18 and 20°C) and go to sleep as soon as the first signs of sleep appear, yawning for example.
