For many people, the weekend is the most cherished part of the week. Although it’s the perfect time to relax, you may want to rethink sleeping in on the weekends. Instead of sleeping in late and feeling groggy at 11am, wake up at a reasonable time and set the tone for a refreshing and exciting weekend!
Celebrate your day off from work! You deserve it! Even though it’s tempting to treat yourself to a weekend snooze-fest, it’s not always what you need to feel good. Here’s why:
Sleep Debt (Lack of Sleep) is not a simple hour-for-hour calculation.
Many people that sleep in during the weekends are trying to ‘catch up on sleep’ that they missed during the week. For example, if you only had 5 hours of sleep a night Monday through Friday, you’ve accrued a sleep debt of around 15 hours. However, making up for the sleep you missed out on during the week is not a simple hour-for-hour calculation.
In fact, studies are unclear as to how much and to what point catching up on sleep helps make up for the lost hours of sleep. You can still try to make up for missed sleep. If you feel tired or sleep-deprived, try a brief nap (20 minutes) in the afternoon. You can also try going to bed earlier in place of using the morning for extra sleep.
In general, sleeping additional hours to make up for sleep debt is recommened, but this is not ideal if it is a consistent problem. Try to avoid keeping yourself in a sleep debt loop that is hard to escape. But don’t worry if you sleep in after an all-night rager every once in a while.
Preventing Sleep Debt Is a Better Approach.
The most beneficial approach to catching up on lost sleep is actually preventing it in the first place. Of course, it’s inevitable to miss out on a good night’s sleep due to traveling, emergencies, and random events. But if you’re regularly using the weekends to catch up on missed sleep during the weeknights, figuring out a solution for getting enough sleep during the weeknights will be the most beneficial in solving for lack of sleep. Ask yourself if there are any adjustments you can make during the week that could improve your sleep routine.
Oversleeping Yields Negative Effects
After your post-morning sleep-in, do you wake up feeling refreshed or do you wake up feeling bad? How you feel after you wake up is a good sign as to whether sleeping in is beneficial in your situation. Sometimes, it’s exactly what you need! However, if you experience a headache, grogginess, emotional pain, or daytime sleepiness, it may be a sign of oversleeping. Oversleeping is typically described in adults as sleeping more than 9 hours in a 24-hour period. This can lead to short-term effects like headaches, daytime sleepiness, decreased immune system and excessive napping. The long-term impacts of oversleeping may include chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and mental health issues to name a few.
Waking Up Early on the Weekends Leads to a Positive Day
Waking up at a consistent time on the weekends can leave you feeling more alert, energetic, and ready to be productive. Waking up early on the weekends can have a positive impact on your physical and mental health. The morning hours are the best time to take advantage of the day and do things that bring you joy. It’s also a great time to go for a hike, check out your local farmer’s market, work on your passion project, or even relax on your couch with a cup of coffee. Doing activities that make you feel good will bring more positive vibes into your weekend time.
Weekend Morning Activities to Set the Tone for a Positive Day:
Overall, it’s important to remember that your weekends don’t need to be spent sleeping in bed all day long—so don’t let yourself succumb to this temptation! While it may feel good in the moment, that feeling isn’t guaranteed to last. There are numerous benefits associated with not sleeping in during the weekends, so try setting an alarm for a reasonable hour each Saturday and Sunday morning so that you can take full advantage of your precious day off.