It's a question we've all asked ourselves at some point: Is it possible to recover lost sleep? Perhaps after an exhausting week of work or studies, you feel tempted to "catch up" by sleeping all weekend. But, does it really work?
In this post:
Can lost sleep be recovered?
The idea of "recovering" lost sleep is a topic of debate in the scientific community. Some research suggests that it's possible to partially recover lost sleep by sleeping more during the weekends or days off. However, these "mini sleep breaks" are usually not enough to fully compensate for the accumulated lack of sleep over an extended period.
Limitations of sleep recovery:
Cognitive and emotional effects: Although you might feel more rested after sleeping more to recover lost sleep, the negative effects on cognition and mood may persist.
Circadian rhythm: Oversleeping to recover sleep can disrupt your circadian rhythm, which might make it more difficult for you to fall asleep in the future.
Long-term health: Chronic sleep deprivation has been linked to a variety of health issues, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. It's unclear whether these risks can be completely mitigated through sleep recovery.
In summary, while you might be able to recover some lost sleep in the short term, the best strategy for maintaining good mental and physical health is to keep a regular sleep schedule and get the recommended amount of sleep each night.
The Complexity of Sleep Recovery
A study published in 2021 titled "Effects of six weeks of chronic sleep restriction with weekend recovery on cognitive performance and wellbeing in high-performing adults" by Michael G. Smith and colleagues (1), addresses this issue. The study assessed the effects of six weeks of chronic sleep restriction on high-performing individuals. The results showed that although the participants attempted to recover sleep over the weekend, they were unable to fully restore their cognitive performance. In other words, mental functions such as attention and memory did not return to their optimal levels even after two nights of recovery sleep. Link to the study.
And what about during vacations?
Another study published in 2022 titled "Do holidays change subjective sleep length or sleep debt in shift work disorder?" by P. Vanttola and colleagues (2), examined how vacations affect sleep duration and sleep debt in people with shift work sleep disorder. The study found that, although vacations were associated with longer sleep estimates than workdays, employees with shift work sleep disorder experienced less efficient recovery than those without the disorder. Link to the study
These studies suggest that the idea of "recovering" lost sleep is more complex than it seems. Not only is it difficult to recover cognitive functions and emotional well-being, but even during longer periods of rest, such as vacations, sleep recovery is not complete. Therefore, the best strategy for maintaining good mental and physical health is to keep a regular sleep schedule and get the recommended amount of sleep each night.
So, the next time you think about "recovering" sleep over the weekend or during vacations, remember that science suggests it's better to prevent than to cure. Maintain a healthy sleep schedule to enjoy optimal well-being.
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(1) Smith MG, Wusk G, Nasrini J, Baskin P, Dinges D, Roma PG, Basner M. Effects of six weeks of chronic sleep restriction with weekend recovery on cognitive performance and wellbeing in high-performing adults. Sleep. 2021;44(8):zsab051.
(2) Vanttola P, Härmä M, Hublin C, Viitasalo K, Sallinen M, Virkkala J, Puttonen S. Do holidays change subjective sleep length or sleep debt in shift work disorder? Ind Health. 2022;60(6):2020-0215.
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