Often finding themselves unable to get adequate sleep during the week, some people opt to recover their sleep “debt” during the weekend. However, is this practice as beneficial as it seems? Not necessarily, according to an analysis from Le Parisien.
Currently, more and more people, including public figures like Gabriel Attal, Prime Minister of France, are reportedly experiencing short nights. The youngest candidate appointed to this position told the Parisianon January 14, 2024, that since his appointment, he had only slept 4 hours per night, and would even be capable of going several nights without sleep. However, the repercussions of a lack of sleep are obvious and sometimes disastrous.
The importance of medical recommendations
A report from Parisian, dated January 20, 2024, highlights the impacts of sleep deprivation on health. He highlights the recommendations of Inserm (National Institute of Health and Medical Research) which recommends that adults sleep 7 to 8 hours per night. However, a study by Santé Publique France, published in 2017, revealed that more than a third of French adults sleep less than 6 hours per day.
THE lack of sleep would, however, cause various ailments such as impaired bodily and cerebral functions, reduced immunity, metabolic disorders and even cardiovascular problems.
Also read > What Lack of Sleep Can Do to Your Body
Recovering missing hours of sleep on weekends: a mirage according to experts
Compensate for lack of sleep during the week by sleeping in on the weekend seems to be a tempting solution. However, specialists warn of the negative impacts of this practice on the biological rhythm. According to Virginie Sterpenich, neuroscience researcher at the University of Geneva, you should avoid sleeping more than 1.5 hours or 2 hours of additional sleep during the weekend.
Dr. Alex Dimitriu, psychiatrist and sleep medicine expert, recommends instead compensating for hours of sleep with short naps of 20 to 30 minutes during the week, rather than spending excessive lie-ins. He also emphasizes that the key would be regularity to maintain a healthy internal clock.
Although catching up on sleep on the weekend seems interesting, you must remember that regularity remains the solution to preserving your physical and mental health. Short naps during the week would therefore be a better alternative to maintain a sleep balance.
Source : Aufeminin.com
