Hit the snooze button! Weekend sleep-ins really could save your life, as scientists say extra sleep could cut the risk of heart disease by a fifth

For many of us, the idea of ​​sleeping in is a way to get through the stresses of a work week.

People can now enjoy the weekend without feeling guilty after scientists showed that a nap can significantly reduce the risk of a potentially fatal heart attack or stroke.

Research shows that people who get ‘compensatory’ sleep on weekends can reduce their risk of heart disease by a fifth.

It is hoped that this will finally put an end to the debate about whether extra sleep is good or bad for you.

Researchers used data from more than 90,000 Britons to investigate the link between extra weekend sleep and heart disease.

People who get ‘compensatory’ sleep at the weekend could see their risk of heart disease drop by a fifth, a study has found, hoping to finally put an end to the debate over whether extra sleep is good or bad for you.

Lack of sleep can lead to obesity, memory loss, diabetes, heart disease, heightened and unstable emotions, decreased learning ability, and a reduced immune response, leaving you vulnerable to disease.

Sleep data was recorded using accelerometers for an average of 14 years and then compared with people’s medical records.

About 19,816 participants (22 percent) were defined as sleep deprived, meaning they slept less than seven hours per night.

While others occasionally experienced insufficient sleep, the average number of hours of sleep per night was considered adequate.

Hospital data and information from the cause of death registry were used to diagnose cardiac conditions, including ischemic heart disease (IHD), heart failure (HF), atrial fibrillation (AF), and stroke.

Those who got the most compensatory sleep – more than 75 minutes – were 19 percent less likely to develop heart disease than those with the least compensatory sleep.

In the subgroup of patients with daily sleep deprivation, those with the most compensatory sleep had a 20 percent lower risk of developing heart disease compared to those with the least sleep deprivation.

The analysis, presented at the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) congress in London, found there were no differences between men and women.

Co-author Yanjun Song of the State Key Laboratory of Infectious Diseases in Beijing, China, said: ‘Adequate compensatory sleep is associated with a lower risk of heart disease.

‘The association is even clearer in people who regularly suffer from insufficient sleep on weekdays.’

Co-author Zechen Liu, also from the State Key Laboratory in Beijing, China, said: ‘Our results show that for the significant proportion of the population in modern society that suffers from sleep deprivation, those who catch up on sleep the most on weekends have significantly lower rates of heart disease than those with the least.’

While it’s unclear exactly how sleep benefits the heart, research suggests that disrupted sleep is associated with higher levels of a protein called CRP, a marker of inflammation, the process linked to heart disease.

Experts believe that more sleep helps the heart recover and repair itself, and is good for weight, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Professor James Leiper, deputy medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘Many of us don’t get enough sleep because of work or family commitments. Sleeping in at the weekend is no substitute for a good night’s sleep, but this large study suggests it could help reduce the risk of heart disease.

‘We know that sleep deprivation can impact our overall well-being, and this research is an important reminder of how important it is to get at least seven hours of sleep every night.

‘We look forward to future research to better understand how sleep patterns can affect the heart and how we can adapt our modern lifestyles to improve our health.’