Can You Really Catch Up on Sleep?

It's Friday morning, you've just rolled over, wiped the drool from your chin and hit snooze for the fourth and final time. You have to get out of bed or you'll be late for work (again). As you lay there in a daze the only thing on your mind is the extra hours of blissful, uninterrupted sleep you'll get on Saturday morning.  

Whether a stressful project or a late-night bender is to blame, sometimes we lose sleep throughout the week, then when the weekend finally does roll around we sleep in to try and shake off that sluggish feeling. But can you really shake it off? 

Playing Catch Up 

Well, it depends. If your happy hour took a wild turn and you end up serenading friends at a local karaoke bar until 2 am, you can head to bed early the following night or take a little catnap and "catch up" on sleep. On the flip side, if you've spent the last three months working around the clock on a tight deadline for your boss, it's nearly impossible to restore the damage that's been done when it comes to those lost hours of sleep.  

Bringing Back Bedtime 

If you are in long-term debt when it comes to sleep, the best thing to do is stick to a routine. Your body's internal clock likes consistency, so if every weekday you wake up at 7 am and hit the hay at 11 pm, try to do the same on the weekends. 

Why? 

Because, sleep deprivation has been linked to heart disease, obesity and insulin resistance, while short-term effects include fogginess, difficulty driving and remembering things. Sticking with a bedtime routine and getting 7–8 hours of sleep each night will get your body back on track, allowing you to make the most of your day.