Teens who sleep more on weekends show lower depression symptoms: Study

A US study suggests teens and young adults who sleep longer on weekends to make up for weekday sleep loss may have

Sleeping in on weekends may do more than ease weekday exhaustion for teenagers and young adults. A new US study suggests that making up for lost sleep over the weekend is linked to a significantly lower risk of depressive symptoms.

 

The research, titled Weekend catch-up sleep and depressive symptoms in late adolescence and young adulthood and published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, found that adolescents and young adults who slept longer on weekends had a 41 per cent lower risk of depression compared to those who did not recover sleep.

 

Researchers from the University of Oregon and the State University of New York Upstate Medical University examined data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 2021 and 2023.

 

 

They focused on participants aged 16 to 24, comparing weekday sleep with weekend sleep. Those who slept longer on weekends to compensate for weekday sleep loss were significantly less likely to report symptoms of depression than those who didn’t.

 

Depressive symptoms were identified based on self-reports of feeling sad or depressed every day, which, according to the research report, is a clinically meaningful indicator in population studies.

Why does weekend catch-up sleep matter for teens and young adults?

Adolescents and young adults are caught in a biological and social tug of war.

 

On one side is a natural shift in circadian rhythm that makes teens fall asleep later at night. On the other are early school start times, academic pressure, social lives, screen exposure, and often part-time jobs.

 

“Sleep researchers have long recommended that adolescents get eight to 10 hours of sleep every night, but that’s just not practical for a lot of adolescents,” said Melynda Casement, licensed psychologist, associate professor, and director of the University of Oregon’s Sleep Lab, who co-authored the study.

 

Weekend sleep, the researchers suggest, may offer a realistic safety net when ideal sleep patterns aren’t possible during the week.

Does this mean inconsistent sleep is good for teens and young adults?

The researchers are clear that consistent sleep remains the gold standard for physical and mental health. Regular bedtimes and wake times support mood regulation, learning, and emotional resilience.

 

However, the study acknowledges that many teens struggle to meet sleep recommendations on weekdays. In that context, weekend catch-up sleep may reduce harm rather than worsen it. 

So, should parents encourage teens to sleep in on weekends?

The study doesn’t suggest unlimited weekend lie-ins or abandoning structure altogether. Instead, it points to the fact that if weekday sleep is short, some weekend recovery sleep may be better than none, especially for mental health.  For more health updates, follow #HealthWithBS 

This content is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice.